Nominate a firm for the Susan Ryan Age Diversity Awards

Applications are now open for the Susan Ryan Age Diversity Awards.

As part of its comprehensive suite of HR awards, the Australian Human Resources Institute is seeking applications for the awards from firms and other organisations that are enhancing the age diversity and inclusion of their workforces in innovative, exciting ways.

These achievements may include youth employment, apprenticeship programs, returning to the workplace programs, older worker programs and transitioning to retirement plans.

The program to be nominated should be understood and supported by staff of the organisation and take into account the issues that affect different demographics in the workforce. This should include an appropriate variety of approaches to recruitment, job design, training and retention.

The nominated scheme should offer a new and creative approach to the
challenge faced by the organisation, but also form part a broader strategy to address attitudes that may discriminate against the recruitment of suitable candidates or existing employees due to their age.

The initiative should therefore play its part in cultural change in the organisation to embed inclusive principles in its DNA.

Evidence for success, as well as good intentions, is required, with objective metrics to show the programme has achieved its desired outcomes and/or positively affected the business.

The program and its effects should also be sustainable over time and replicable through the organisation. It should be lead or supported by the CEO and senior leadership team, and be demonstrated through communication and staff engagement strategies.

Winning organisations will be able to offer evidence of attraction, recruitment and retention initiatives that appeal to the interests and needs of different age groups in the workplace, including younger, middle aged and older employees or recruitment candidates.

There should also be evidence of how the organisation is actually eliminating discriminatory attitudes based on the age of recruitment candidates or existing employees.

This data can include how the initiative was developed and the resources involved, including brainstorming sessions and proposals from employees.

Examples of cultural change can include how the organisation introduced the initiative in a way to encourage its acceptance by staff. Evidence of improvements resulting from the program may encompass metrics on recruitment, engagement, retention, staff satisfaction.

Demonstration of the scheme’s replicability though the organisation may include planned roll outs to other divisions as well as ongoing activities. As well as a statement of support from the senior leadership team, there should also be evidence of their practical participation in driving and implementing diversity and inclusion policies.

Patrons on the AHRI Awards advisory panel include Professor Dave Ulrich, Fons Trompenaars, Lynda Gratton, Michael Kirby AC CMG, and Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO and the winners will receive their awards at a gala dinner in Melbourne on Thursday, the 29th of November.