Did you know that Australia’s population comes from over 130 different ethnicities? As small-business owners, we must develop and implement strategies that allow people from multiculturally diverse and non-English speaking backgrounds to thrive in our workplaces.
Most business owners recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce can offer, but many don’t take action. When companies engage and employ people from different multicultural backgrounds, they are more likely to be innovative, and creative and their chances of gaining traction in new markets is 70 per cent higher than those who do not.
Despite all the awareness surrounding diversity and inclusion, many ethnic minorities and women are still being left out of key leadership positions. They are rarely recognised for the contributions they make to our communities and our economies. Most have been stereotyped as “typical” migrant workers and given few opportunities when it comes to the big picture and development of our country.
As a Vietnamese-Australian with a refugee heritage, I was honoured to be part of the Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards, where I was awarded the Multicultural Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the work I have done with Pakko.
The Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business celebrate the contribution multicultural businesses make to the Brisbane economy and community through their creativity, innovation and resilience.
As one of the three multicultural business owners recognised at the Multicultural Awards, I was proud to share the stage with Johnny Shin, from Solomons Group Australia who won the Young Businessperson of the Year, and George Sha, from Balanz, Spring Hill who was awarded the Multicultural Businessperson of the Year.
It is exciting to see our local council working to implement strategies that support the benefits of diversity and showcase the various opportunities and possibilities for people who are from multi-ethnic backgrounds.
It is initiatives like the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Awards that help to raise awareness and celebrate the achievements of multiculturally led leaders.
The more stories we share and time we take to actively engage within our community, the more chances we have of creating a future where our workplaces are thriving, collaborative hubs of innovation.
It is up to us to lead by example, to show our teams that we can celebrate our differences and that it’s important to bring a different perspective to the boardroom table.
Try these three tips to celebrate and elevate diversity in your workplace:
- Nominate a diversity champion: Allow your team to vote for someone who will champion all diversity conversations and activities. Add this to your weekly team meeting agenda to ensure that “diversity” becomes a discussion.
- Create a multicultural calendar: Work with your team to develop a calendar that supports all the cultural and religious events that are important to them. This will allow the whole office to engage, participate and understand new perspectives.
- Multicultural food fundraiser: Host a charity fundraiser, ask everyone in the office to make a dish, cake, pickles or jam that represents their heritage and sell them in the office; then you can donate the proceeds to your favourite local charity.
Whatever you choose, remember to actually take the time to listen to your colleagues and workmates. Remember, we all have a unique history, and our stories are shaped by the extraordinary experiences that brought us here today.
Let’s work together to recognise the work of our multicultural business leaders, employers, and employees so that we can open the door for future generations to continue this honest and authentic conversation around diversity and inclusion.
