OUR PEOPLE
DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Woolworths recognises and embraces the considerable value that a diverse workforce adds to an organisation. We strive to create a work environment where everyone is able to contribute and reach their full potential, irrespective of race, age, sex, sexual preference, transgender, religious belief, political beliefs, disability and impairment, pregnancy, potential pregnancy, marital status, family/parental status and membership or non-membership of a trade union.
Woolworths also opposes discriminatory or harassing behaviours such as gestures, language and the display of electronic or paper based material in the workplace that may cause offence, humiliation or intimidation.
Our anti-discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies are communicated to all employees and are covered in our Code of Conduct. A copy of the Code is given to all employees on induction which they are required to read and sign and information is displayed in every workplace.
Workplace diversity strategy
The nature of Australia’s workforce is changing, with a greater emphasis on flexibility, part time work and people in career transition. We have developed a range of recruitment programs and partnerships to help attract and retain a more diverse range of potential employees. These include:
Mature-age workers
Mature-age workers are one of the largest under-utilised groups in Australia. For every new Generation Y person entering the labour market today, there are seven workers over the age of 45 available. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 85% of all new employment growth between now and 2016 will occur in the 40 plus age group. In recognition of this, we are working on a number of initiatives to build up our capability to successfully attract and recruit in this age group. These include:
- Recruitment advertising targeting the mature age market.
- A “mature-age friendly” job application process that takes into account lack of access/experience with internet usage.
- Introduction of a formal Woolworths’ alumni program.
Part time workers
This is a broad group including mature-age, students, career mums, individuals returning to work, primary care-givers and those seeking to improve their work/life balance.
Some of the initiatives we have developed to target this group include:
- Non-traditional recruitment campaigns through universities, TAFEs, schools and mothers’ groups.
- More flexibility when recruiting to assess the viability of part time work.
- Offering greater flexibility across the business in regards to part time and job share arrangements.
Disability
As an active member of the Employers Network on Disability, Woolworths has supported the disabled community for a number of years.
In September 2005 we entered into an agreement with Disability Works Australia (DWA) to help us source and manage suitable candidates for interview and employment. In addition to employees who join us through other recruitment avenues, DWA has so far helped with the additional employment of 287 people with a disability into Woolworths Supermarkets and BIG W. We are working with DWA to significantly expand this partnership at a national level.
Indigenous employment
Woolworths has a demonstrated commitment to advancing indigenous employment opportunities in Australia. In addition to our existing indigenous workforce, we have partnered with a number of groups that specialise in indigenous employment to develop programs for indigenous people.
In mid 2007, we began working with Indigenous Success Australia and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to develop a tailored “job ready” training program focused on increasing indigenous employment in Woolworths supermarkets. As a result of the pilot program in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), we have employed an additional 25 indigenous people.
We are investigating expansion of the project in other suitable locations across the country, particularly in regions with large indigenous populations. We also plan to expand the program to our other businesses.
In our supermarkets in Western Australia, we are working with a number of groups to facilitate indigenous peoples’ access to employment. These include partnerships with:
- The David Wirrpanda Foundation to place young indigenous people in meaningful employment.
- Perth Employment Enterprise Development Aboriginal Corporation to promote Woolworths’ apprenticeships.
- Noongar Employment Enterprise Development Aboriginal Corporation to place suitable candidates in jobs in the South West of the state.
- Balga Senior High School to place students into casual and part time employment.
We also continue to investigate opportunities in other states. We believe all companies, including Woolworths, need to do more to support indigenous workers and have commenced similar partnerships with Gandagarra Employment and Training Services (GETS) and the Indigenous Working Group to participate and consult in the development of employment strategies for urban indigenous people.
Gender balance
We have made significant progress in the area of gender balance, particularly in leadership roles. In the 2003–04 financial year, 16.7% of leadership roles within Woolworths Limited were held by women. In the 2007–08 financial year this had risen to 23% (excludes PEL and ALH).
In facilitating women’s career development and progression, our focus has been to create an inclusive environment that is supportive and appreciative of difference. Women and men offer different perspectives and this difference provides business benefits.
We have introduced programs to facilitate the inclusion of women and to remove any barriers that may restrict their career progression. Programs implemented include structured mentoring and networking opportunities, the provision of part time and job share roles, flexible reintegration following parental leave and support during parental leave.
Gender ratio by employment level |
||
| Male | Female | |
| Board | 78% | 22% |
| Senior executives | 77% | 23% |
| Senior managers | 76% | 24% |
| Managers | 59% | 41% |
| Office/support employees | 51% | 49% |
| Store employees | 40% | 60% |
| Distribution employees | 85% | 15% |
| Tradespeople apprentices | 91% | 9% |
| Plant employees | 57% | 43% |
Gender ratio by region |
||
| Male | Female | |
| Australia | 45% | 55% |
| New Zealand | 41% | 59% |
Ratio of basic salary of men to women |
||
| Grade | Female | Male |
| Non Managerial ratio | 101% | 99% |
| Managerial ratio | 95% | 105% |
| Excluding ALH and PEL | ||
Profile
Jacob Mingo
Service Assistant,
Woolworths Carnarvon
Helping our people become the best they can be is a key focus at Woolworths. Our diverse team reflects the diverse roles available across our Company and our aim to match the right people with the right roles.
Since doing work experience at Woolworths Carnarvon 15 years ago, Jacob Mingo has made a big difference to the store’s staff and customers. Jacob now works full time – meeting and greeting customers, collecting trolleys, sweeping the back dock and keeping the tearoom clean and full of supplies.
Jacob often arrives at work a few hours before his shift starts and sits in the team room, chatting to his team mates while he completes beautiful coloured drawings – he has hundreds that he loves to share.
Jacob is an inspiration to staff and customers at Carnarvon. Despite some hardships, he is always happy and smiling. Jacob just loves his job and the people that help him every day…and his team loves working with him.
Offering a range of employee benefits fosters a diverse workforce. 37.4% of our workforce are part time and have access to the same benefits as full time employees on a pro rata basis.
Profile
Debra Singh
General Manager,
Consumer Electronics
Diverse, cross-divisional opportunities within the same company and a supportive work environment produce an excellent cultural balance and a unique place to work.
My recent appointment to lead the DSE team is an enormous milestone for me – it’s been my long term career aspiration to lead and run a business, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity. Although it’s significant to be the first woman in the Company’s history to head up a trading division, it’s a credit to the Woolworths culture that we only realised that some time after I was offered the job. At Woolworths, it’s about who is the right person for the job, rather than about gender, but there is an increasing awareness that women often need to balance broader home and family responsibilities more fully than most men.
All management roles have unique challenges, I don’t believe being a woman presents specific challenges, but women and men often lead differently.
Knowing what you want to achieve and planning how you will get there is crucial to achieving career success. I have found that Woolworths facilitates that journey, by stretching and challenging you to see what you are capable of. My assignment in India was very much like that.
I learnt a lot about myself during that time. The retailing environment is more disorganised than we are used to, without the same infrastructure, so getting things done presents greater complexities. Adapting to such a different way of operating required a lot of patience and flexibility. The ability to laugh at myself certainly became a learned virtue!
It’s the people and the opportunities that have kept me with Woolies for the last seven years. I have had four very different senior management roles in HR and Operations, and in each of those roles my colleagues have been consistently supportive. Working collaboratively, sharing the common goal of delivering results and caring about each other is how we operate. Having the opportunity to work in a number of diverse roles within the same organisation is also incredibly valuable, particularly the global opportunity I was offered in India. In working with my peer group and the inspiring young people in the Company who are our future leaders, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of Australia’s best retailers.