Diversity is good for business

The Multicultural Council of Tasmania (MCOT) is preparing to host its annual Multicultural Tasmania Employer Conference on Thursday 7 November at Crowne Plaza Hobart.

Now in its third year, the Multicultural Employer Project continues to grow in scope and impact, providing Tasmanian businesses with the knowledge and tools to embrace a diverse workforce.

This year’s conference will bring together employers, industry leaders and policymakers to explore the benefits of hiring from Tasmania’s multicultural communities.

By focusing on inclusive recruitment practices, the conference aims to showcase how diversity can contribute to business growth, creativity and resilience in a changing market.

Supported by the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF), the conference is an important part of the MCOT’S broader Multicultural Employer Project, which has been instrumental in fostering opportunities for migrants and refugees seeking employment in Tasmania.

The project highlights the positive economic and social outcomes that diversity brings to the workplace, offering a range of resources, workshops and networking opportunities to help businesses build a more inclusive workforce.

Spaces are still available for local business leaders to attend and gain insight into how to create a more culturally diverse and welcoming working environment.

Attendees of the 2024 conference will have the chance to learn from real-world case studies, gain insights from industry experts and connect with organizations that are leading the way in diversity and inclusion.

TCF Chair Sally Darke said the Multicultural Employment Project played an important role in breaking down significant barriers to employment.

“This initiative connects employers with the wealth of talent and skills that Tasmania's multicultural communities have to offer,” she said.

“Through this project, and the accompanying conference, employers are gaining access to new perspectives and innovative approaches, which ultimately lead to better outcomes for everyone.

“At the TCF, we believe that supporting projects like this is key to building a prosperous and inclusive future for Tasmania.

“The Multicultural Employer Project is making a real difference in breaking down barriers to employment and opening doors for both job seekers and businesses.”

MCOT Community Development Lead - Strategic Projects Darya Kuznyetsova said the conference would provide Tasmanian businesses and organisations the opportunity to learn best practices in recruitment and retention of a culturally diverse workforce.

“We have some wonderful keynote speakers and workshop facilitators joining us for the conference,” she said.

“One of the workshop facilitators, coming down from Queensland, specialises in how diversity drives performance in business and he is really excited to share his knowledge with Tasmanian organisations.

“In the conference’s third year our goal is to provide practical tools so that every business attending knows what steps they can take to improve their cultural diversity and make the most of the wonderful diverse workforce we have in Tasmania.”

For two years, the University of Tasmania has been conducting research connected to the Multicultural Employment Project to develop a toolkit to support employers recruit and recruit employees from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

"Many small and medium sized businesses have benefited from employing workers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds,” UTAS Professor Can Seng Ooi said.

“Many members of the culturally diverse want to be economically and socially active members of the Tasmanian community. We all have many common shared values."

"When employers and CALD employees work together with respect and constructive mindsets, fruitful and productive relationships inevitably form."

There are still spots available at the 2024 Multicultural Tasmania Employer Conference.

For more information visit www.mcot.org.au