Solving staff retention rates through diversity

We face a rising nationwide skill shortage across the infrastructure sector, with Infrastructure Partnerships Australia recently revealing that the industry will need to grow its total workforce by nearly 43.4 percent to meet the demands of the coming pipeline.

Why the shortfall?

Part of the issue is that the sector continues to face challenges in attracting and retaining diverse talent. For instance, according to CCF NSW, female participation levels in civil roles still sits at just 5.7 percent. This lack of diversity reduces our available talent pool and hence also our industry’s ability to deliver on the massive project pipeline.

But the industry is changing. CCF NSW’s ‘50 by 50’ initiative to achieve an equal gender balance by 2050 for instance highlights the commitment of many organisations within the sector to drive greater diversity and become more inclusive workplaces. 

Developing a more diverse and inclusive workforce will not only provide the industry with an expanded source of recruitment, but will also lead to greater staff retention and innovation due to the variety of skills, knowledge and experiences being brought to the table.

Fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace

While the industry is taking steps to address the lack of diversity in its workforce, building a more inclusive and diverse workplace takes more than simply hiring candidates with different skills, experiences, characteristics and backgrounds.

As the make-up of the workforce changes, these diverse groups of people will need to find ways of

working together. It is the role of managers to help employees to integrate into the workforce and support diverse workers to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes that their organisation requires.

But how will this be achieved?

Creating a culture of inclusion requires managers to foster an environment of collaboration and understanding, as well as encourage recognition and respect for individual difference through effective communication and leadership to ensure all members of a team feel safe and included.  

ICI has a range of upcoming courses to help you develop your skills in managing a diverse workforce. Please check out the links below to book your spot!

• 23 March: Managing diversity in the workplace (2) - Leading a team to manage diversity well
• 14 April: Understanding the obligations of a people manager in a diverse workplace – How the issues & the law impacts (1)
• Managing diversity in the workplace (3) - Managing managers (contact us to discuss the next course)
• Managing diversity in the workplace (4) - Defining corporate objectives (contact us to discuss the next course)

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