Diversity at Policy Futures Graduate Program (Queensland Government)

There are committees established within the company to promote diversity. Everyone seems to be respectful at all times.

Total commitment to diversity in words and in actions, everywhere I visit within the public sector I see the diversity

The company has good policies for recruiting with respect to diversity. I see a lot of women represented in the leadership positions in my team. However I do not see many people of ethnic minorities around the office. I see a number of LGBTQA+ inclusion events.

Everything I've seen touted as inclusive has been backed up in the workplace

I believe Policy Futures tries to bring together a diverse and dynamic group.

There are a lot of women in director and executive roles in my area at least and there is a lot of effort made to be inclusive and promote diversity, such as pride month etc. Unfortunately, this doesn't always end up making people feel safe, comfortable and included, as it may not always be informed by lived experience and can come across as tokenistic and can also put people in uncomfortable positions of being asked to declare their identity in the workplace etc.

I believe that recruitment is trying to address the lack of diversity in many teams. The grad program is very diverse. I have witnessed racism in this role from managers and there doesn't seem to be much motivation to address behaviour from team members or leaders. However, I believe this might vary between teams but is definitely disappointing and surprising to witness.

I would say the work force is quite diverse, I have met a variety of people from lots of different backgrounds (e.g. have worked with people in the LGBTIQA+ community, there is a large proportion of women in the agency, there are people from different ethnic groups). I am not sure on the specifics for child care/maternity leave, but I know they are supportive (I can think of at least 2 people who were on leave/about to go on leave while I was there). The agency does have some workforce issues but I am not sure this is specific to this agency or can be government as a whole. There is not always room in the agency for growth within the teams but people will often take on acting roles in other positions. Retention can be difficult because the agency mostly has 5 year contracts as an integrity agency rather than full time employees always having permanent contracts, which is not always the most appealing for people.

The organisation is committed to all aspects of the above especially around First Nations people

Queensland government in general needs more racial diversity.

I do not identify as someone from a diverse background, so my experience is limited, but I've always felt the program to be diverse and inclusive.

The application process for the program has a First Nations stream, and a stream for people with a disability. As an LGBTQIA+ person, I've had the opportunity to join pride networks and feel comfortable being out at work.

Commitment in terms of numbers is great. Government in Qld does a fantastic job with hiring and promotion of females. But there is still a way to go in genuine diversity of thoughts and actions within policies that involve minorities

I believe the effort on diversity is high, but sometimes I feel like it is not being applied in real life. There are plenty of awareness raising campaigns, but not sure overall employees' commitment to changes is realised. I also noted senior level management has a lack of diversity in ethnicity.

My organisation has a good proportion of diversity. I cannot speak to recruitment, retention etc. I have observed that retention is low when I started and the organisation is predominantly white Caucasian employees.

There are committees established within the company to promote diversity. Everyone seems to be respectful at all times.

The Department is definitely a very diverse place, and there are a very high percentage of women in higher management positions. I would say promotion and maternity leave are workforce leading best practices, and something for the private sector to aspire to. I work with people from different ethnic and social backgrounds, and can genuinely say it is a safe and welcoming environment for all.

All covered. Obviously, there is still significant work to be done, but I understand my employer is dedicated to recruiting and providing additional supports to employees where needed. There are a lot of women of intersectional backgrounds in executive/leadership roles, and having children has not been as much of a barrier as it once was.

Very strong diversity in the workplace. High numbers of women in leadership positions and flexible arrangements for child care and maternity leave.

I think I have not had enough exposure to be able to give a fulsome response but I do think the government prioritises diversity and hope to be able to look into this in the future.

As someone from a low socio-economic background I would say the Department attracts those with a drive to better their position in life. The recruiting process has inbuilt adjustments available for those who have disabilities or are neurodivergent. Most importantly the Department places an emphasis on merit rather than association. I was hired because of my talents and qualifications, not because of the school I went to.

Targeted recruitment.

Explicit recruitment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Facilitates additional requirements for those with disabilities to support workplace access and capability

Their commitment to diversity from all levels is evident in the application process for work