Why Australian Organisations Should Embrace Workforce Diversity: Interview with: Kate McCormack, Executive Director of People, Learning & Culture, Mercy Health, a speaker at the marcus evans HR Summit 2013, on why Australian companies need to embrace diversity to ensure they have a workforce for the future.

1. Why Australian Organisations Should
Embrace Workforce Diversity
backgrounds and cultures can bring. HR At Mercy Health, we know we have a
directors are struggling to fully high female workforce, half of whom are
embrace diversity, but employees can part-time. We are also aware of the fact
learn so much from each others’ that if we do not do something drastic
cultures and from the more mature around flexibility within the next few
members of their team. years, we will not have enough nurses
and midwives. Our signature process is
Organisations need to develop a around our people and how we value
strategic plan to address workforce their choices, so we try to support that.
shortages and the impending challenges We need to have a compelling argument
of an ageing workforce. Organisations as to why people need to work at Mercy
need to review their attraction and Health.
retention strategy to ensure it
Interview with: Kate McCormack, addresses how the skills and knowledge We have less than three per cent
Executive Director of People, of mature employees are transferred to turnover, low sick leave and high
Learning & Culture, Mercy Health those entering the workforce, and how engagement. That cannot be by chance.
they will attract a broader, more diverse
pool of candidates. It is imperative that
“With nationwide workforce shortages, it Australia finds a way to accept and
is imperative that organisations embrace diversity.
embrace workforce diversity, otherwise
they run the risk of not having a How can HR make sure everyone
workforce at all,” according to Kate fits in?
McCormack, Executive Director of
People, Learning & Culture, Mercy
Health. Embracing and managing the
diversity agenda can be challenging for
Mercy Health has a Diversity and Equity
Committee which is chaired by our Chief
Executive Officer and operates at a
Australia
has to
the Human Resources (HR) function, strategic level to ensure commitment to
however it can yield huge benefits for diversity. We continue to roll out
organisations and employees, she adds. cultural responsiveness training in order
find ways
to educate our employees on how to
A speaker at the upcoming marcus communicate and work with people
evans HR Summit 2013 in the Gold from different backgrounds and
Coast, Queensland, Australia, 13 - 15 cultures. Our recruitment processes are
March, McCormack discusses how
organisations need to embrace the
diversity challenge in order to attract
also designed to be more transparent.
How does Mercy Health extract
to work
and retain a talented workforce.
What are HR directors in Australia
value from this approach to
diversity? diversity in
challenged with today? Why should Although we are a not-for-profit
they embrace diversity? organisation, all projects and programs
we run have to have a business benefit.
The attraction and retention of a For me, this comes down to finding your
workforce is business critical and for signature process, what sets you apart
organisations only considering Anglo- from competitors, looking at your
Saxon workers this limits the talent pool demographics, understanding your
even further. HR needs to broaden their business, then looking at how you will
search for talent and embrace the ensure you have a workforce in the
benefits that people from different future to meet your customers’ needs.

2. About the HR Summit 2013
The HR Network –
marcus evans Summits group
This unique forum will take place at the RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast,
delivers peer-to-peer information
Queensland, Australia, 13 - 15 March 2013. Offering much more than any conference,
on strategic matters, professional
exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry
trends and breakthrough
thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking
innovations.
event. The Summit includes presentations on incorporating social media into
employee engagement strategies, empowering employees, winning the talent battle,
and grooming leaders to withstand the ever changing nature of economic markets.
www.hranzsummit.com
Please note that the Summit is a Contact
closed business event and the
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits
number of participants strictly
Division
limited.
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced. Kindly
inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss
strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to
individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-to-one business meetings.
For more information, please visit: www.marcusevans.com
Upcoming Events
Corporate Learning & Talent Development Summit (North America) - www.cltdsummit.com
HR Technology Summit (North America) - www.hrtechnology-summit.com
To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.hranzsummit.com/KateMcCormack