A Diverse Workforce Spurs Innovation & Higher Performance: Dr Ian Williamson
Dr Ian Williamson (pictured), with an uncanny resemblance to Obama, delivered a compelling talk last week at the World Business Forum that far exceeded the presentations of the international keynotes.
A North American expat, now firmly ensconced in Melbourne and leading the social change unit within Melbourne Business School, Williamson convinced the 2,000-plus strong group of executives at The Star in Sydney to start solving their business problems through the lens of social impact.
Changes in technology, customer preferences, demographic changes, competitive action and changes in regulations require specific and detectable moves beyond just awareness. Firms must develop competitive actions to address social challenges just like they do with economic challenges.
Here are the two key takeaways from Williamson’s research regarding diversity and inclusion:
- Diversity is an economic imperative due to skills shortages in Australia
Awareness of changes and choosing to ignore them is not good enough and will render organisations irrelevant. The Costa Concordia – the ship carrying 4,252 people that sank off the Italian coast in 2012 because Captain Schettino, despite having done the trip many times and knowing where to turn, turned too late. He was found guilty of manslaughter of 32 passengers and sentenced to 16 years in prison. How many organisations see the impeding change or challenge and just choose to ignore it? The list is endless, Williamson said. Many rendered irrelevant as a result.
In Australia, an aging population and increasing demands for skills in the next 10 years, will result in a serious skills shortage that only migrants will be able to fill. In Australia, an aging population and increasing demands for skills in the next 10 years, will result in a serious skills shortage that only migrants will be able to fill. In 2020, there will be more 65-year-olds than one-year-olds, and there will be fewer births than today. In 2007, there were 265,900 births. In 2020, there will be just 261,847 births, even though the population base will be over 12 per cent larger than today, according to ABS data.
Yet, in Australia, skilled migrants have significantly higher levels of unemployment than their skilled counterparts.
- Gender and diversity have a direct link to innovation and higher performance of the organisation if they reflect the demographic they are serving
What is well known from Williamson’s research is that where organisations consciously built their diversity staffing, performance rose. He used Aldi as an example in North America, where the German-owned grocery store had 20 per cent-plus more sales in a short period of time with the stores that consciously employed a diverse workforce to reflect the demographic against the non-diverse workforce located in diverse communities.
Buy early bird tickets now to the 3% Conference Australasia to discover the latest trends, data and practical strategies around diversity and inclusion for your organisation.
Please login with linkedin to comment
3% Conference 3% Conference Australasia Advertising Standards Bureau Dr Ian Williamson reno rumble World Business ForumLatest News
Railway Passengers Mortified By Greyscaled Train Timetable Tribute To Prince Philip
Following the announcement of Prince Philip’s death last week, many businesses, broadcasters and individuals paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. Some Australian viewers were upset to find the ABC opted not to broadcast British crime drama Vera, instead choosing to cover Philip’s death. Similarly, many were amused to hear a techno dance music mashup on […]
The End Of Average: Why ‘Addressable Priming’ Is The Future
In this guest post, Wavemaker’s national strategy partner, James Boardman (pictured below), talks addressable priming and why it’ll be the end of average and the peak of creativity in media planning… For my entire career media plans have contained a large amount of average. I’m not talking about the quality of my planning skills (although […]
Apple “Not Against Digital Advertising” Despite Privacy Crackdown: Tim Cook
Apple’s new approach to digital advertising is set to go ahead in a matter of weeks, with advertisers warned to think about user privacy first. Previously, companies that sell mobile ads have relied on Apple’s IDFA (“identifier for advertisers”) as a way to identify specific users and offer targeted ads. But with Apple continuing to […]
QMS’ pDOOH Platform Proving Campaign Attribution
As programmatic digital out of home (pDOOH) continues to help advertisers enhance their existing campaigns, digital outdoor media experts, QMS, is already seeing results pay dividends with the latest campaign for a Tourism and Travel sector client delivering over 2,000 tourist visitors who can be directly attributed from their exposure of the pDOOH campaign. The […]
Apple Will Soon Help You Find Your Anything
For years now, Apple users have located misplaced iPhones and other Apple devices via the Find My app. In case you haven’t used it before, Find My tracks the locations of iPhones, iPads, laptops and even AirPods, meaning the whereabouts of each device will come up on a map if it’s ever lost. The app […]
CBA & Football Australia Partner To Elevate The Women’s Game
Commonwealth Bank and the sport’s governing body, Football Australia, announced today that CBA will become the official naming rights partner and bank of the national women’s team, the Matildas, Junior Matildas and Young Matildas from August 2021. M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment supported Commonwealth Bank to bring the partnership together with Football Australia, and looks […]
Facebook Australia Celebrates Ramadan With Calendar Of Content
Facebook Australia is celebrating Ramadan with a range of initiatives including Lives, Reels, IGTV and more. To launch the initiative, Facebook has partnered with a number of Muslim creators and organisations, who will be sharing their perspectives of the holy month on both Facebook and Instagram. Facebook says the 30 days of content is part […]
Netflix’s Challenge To Linear TV
Netflix’s real-time streaming service, launched in France, provides an unexpected alternative to television as the platform also announced a new deal with Sony. The program, called ‘Direct’, is a real-time service with a stream that covers five days, to prevent repeat programming. It was announced in November 2020 originally and rolled out fully in December […]
Grill’d, Melbourne Storm Launch Limited-Edition ‘Storm Burger’ For Fans
The Storm burger includes the chicken wing, grapple tackle & three free ones in a brown paper bag when no one's looking.
Seven West Share Holders Allegedly Not Told Company Funds Were Lent To Ben Roberts-Smith
There can be only one winner in this whole Ben Roberts-Smith saga & that's the lawyers. And the lawyers' BMW dealership.
Twitter Users Spot Unexpected Photobomb In Little Mix Star’s Picture
This has a Twitter photobomb with a Little Mix Star. Don't worry, it's fully translated for the over 30s in the article.
Malcolm Turnbull Calls News Corp “The Most Powerful Political Actor In Australia”
Malcolm Turnbull declares revenge is a dish best served cold. And this latest attack has the Streets Viennetta about it.
The Economist Intelligence Unit Launches “EIU Viewpoint”, Political And Economic Analysis Platform
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a division of The Economist Group, has announced the launch of “EIU Viewpoint”, a new digital product that combines the EIU’s expert political insights, policy analysis, and economic outlook with forward-looking forecasts and proprietary data. “EIU Viewpoint” helps businesses, academics, governments, and financial institutions stay ahead of the shifting global […]
ITF Finds Significant Disparities Between How Men’s & Women’s Elite Sports Are Described
Study finds major discrepancies in how men's & women's sport is called. Ray 'Rabbits' Warren has declined to comment.
Hospital Research Foundation Continues Fight Against ‘The Beast’ In Latest Work Via KWP!
Adelaide-based creative agency KWP! brings more than one hundred volunteers together in an onscreen battle against life threatening diseases for the sequel to The Hospital Research Foundation (THRF) Group’s ‘Together Fight’ campaign. Two 30-second TVC’s feature the return of ‘The Beast’, who comes up against a young patient and army of real-life patients, researchers, staff […]
Hamish & Andy Oust Kyle & Jackie O From Top Three Most Popular Podcasts
B&T would love to report that some fresh, new talent had topped the podcast rankings, but alas it's the same old shit.
Blis Launches Playbook ‘Preparing For A Privacy-First World: Your Personal Guide To Getting Impersonal’
This comes with a downloadable playbook. Admittedly, not as a good as a downloadable pizza voucher, but nonetheless.
NEFF Appliances Launches First-Ever Aussie Campaign Via Keep Left
Home appliance ads celebrate the joy of home cooking, which really isn't as slothful as the sheer laziness of Uber Eats.
Archibald Williams Wins atWork Australia Account, Launches New Employment Services Campaign
Archibald Williams snares employment services atWork's creative. Hasn't quite found the time to start working on it yet.
Shopify Partners With The Peers Project To Support Millennial Leaders Podcast
Do young, high-achieving Millennials give you a bad case of the willies? You're completely exempt here.
Monday TV Wrap: Dancing With The Stars Loses Viewers Post-Premiere
Schapelle joins Roxy's husband and Mark Wahlberg in proving a stint in the slammer no impediment to career success.
Beckham Goes Floral & Chucks Donuts In Slightly Dangerous Debut For Maserati
Becks again proving he's got the Midas touch. We mean for advertising things, not necessarily as a football striker.
Increasing Presence Of Audio Prompts Launch Of S&W Sonic Branding
Globally awarded Sydney sound-house Smith and Western have officially launched a new audio branding agency, S&W Sonic Branding.
Barilla & Publicis Italy Show The Healing Power Of Pasta In New Global Campaign
Barilla Pasta unveils beautiful new spot that also works as a subtle F-you to Doctor Atkins and his fabled diet.
Colin Jowell Joins DDB’s Tribal As Its First Chief Strategy Officer
Colin Jowell joins Tribal as its very first chief strategy officer. Which, if anything, means no handover period.
InMoment Accelerates Asia-Pacific Growth With Appointment Of Carl Kimball As VP Sales
Carl Kimball appointed InMoment's VP of sales. B&T understands that's vice president and not very pushy.
Initiative Melbourne Wins Plush Sofas’ Media
Initiative Melbourne wins Plush Sofas' media, but not before cutting the tags off the office's existing sofas.
Nicole Kidman Voices Global Campaign For Healthcare Firm H&H
Nicole Kidman is keeping herself busy during COVID while at the same time trying to avoid her husband's singing.
Jean-Michael Wu Appointed Head Of Talent At TotallyAwesome
The question remains, do staff at TotallyAwesome have to gurn all day and constantly high-five one another?
Cannes Lions Announces 2021 Jury Members
Sadly there's no trip to sunny Cannes for this year's Lion winners. And no chance of a boozy arrest in Dubai either.
