Homelessness

Reminiscent of a primary school lunch shed in the 1960’s the Grand Ballroom at Russell’s Pizzeria at Willunga was the unique setting for Status’ mid year staff and partners dinner last Saturday evening. Utilising fresh local produce and talent to create and serve mouth watering brick oven cooked pizza, owner and chef Russell Jeavons continues to dish up culinary delights and ambience like no other dining experience in South Australia. Brick ovens and braziers abound, inside and out the quaint 1800’s stone cottage, cooking, heating water and warming patrons, all of which encourages interaction with kitchen and waiting staff and dining informality.

Sitting around one of the open fires, with a glass of fine local shiraz in one hand and animation in the other, I recalled my primary school days sitting in a similar shed drinking half pints of milk, curdled by the summer sun and distributed free to all South Australian school children by the State Government during the 1950’s and 60’s. The social reason for initiating this program was to address the growing perception in the community that a lot of kids were under nourished, and we all knew who those kids were. These were the kids who drank the milk regardless of the temperature, ambient or milk, and did so without adding flavouring such as Milo or Quick. But apart from nourishing, the distribution of free milk had other rewards such as undertaking the role of “milk monitor”, which like being appointed “lunch monitor” bestowed a level of profound status upon the anointed one.

The other grand enjoyment of the free milk policy came from the little aluminium foil caps that sealed the tops of the bottles. These were greatly prized as flying saucers and lovingly smoothed into prime aeronautical shape, by the primary pilots association, to ensure the longest flights possible. Placing the pad of the tip of the middle finger on top of the nail of the index finger you would sandwich the rim of the foil cap between the two fingers and upon optimum launch conditions, [usually when most of the other kids were watching], you would flick your fingers rapidly apart sending the little saucer whizzing into orbit. It was great fun and we never tired of it, with hundreds of these "little saucers who could" being blown about by the wind and tinkering their way across the asphalt assembly area every day in a futile attempt to get airborne again following their spent flight.

When you look back at the social agendas of successive state and federal governments of the fifties, sixties and seventies, and compare these with the policies of economic rationalism of the eighties and nineties, you can get a real sense for how Australia has changed in a single generation as we were dragged kicking and screaming to the global dinner table of economic development and trade. The price we have paid for this has been a loss of community, of social inclusion, where those living on the margins of society, afflicted by homelessness, drug and alcohol dependency, mental health issues and unemployment, have been left behind to fend for themselves as best they can.

On Saturday evening we had food and warmth and shelter, and we revelled in the minimalism of it all and yet at the same time 100,000 fellow Australians were “sleeping rough”, homeless, as there are on any given night across this resource rich country of ours. Circumstances are relative and not always governed by choice. The community we found ourselves celebrating on Saturday night was one of social inclusion characterised by having jobs, homes, good health and prosperity. For others there is very little to celebrate. For some, Australia is no longer a lucky country but with political will and community support it can be again, and given the longest running resources boom the world has ever seen, with golden soil and wealth for toil, we can return to an egalitarian society where the notion of “a fair go for all” prevails.

A new approach to homelessness forms a key part of the Commonwealth Government’s social inclusion agenda and will ensure all Australians are able to participate in the social and economic life of the nation. Last week the State Government announced that a new $6 million “Centre for Social Innovation” is to be established in Adelaide, the first of its kind in Australia, and according to the Premier, will “act as an incubator to grow and develop unique, effective remedies to our nation’s pressing social problems”, and this is a good thing because free milk is not going to fix them!

The worm is turning, let’s hope quickly because baby, last Saturday night, it was cold outside.

In our featured article this week we look at the Federal Government’s Australian Social Inclusion Agenda and consider what can Business do to make hiring from disadvantaged groups a success. We also introduce two new “Employee Hot Prospects”, which can be accessed from the “hot chilli” link at right and, announce the winner of our Round 13 Footy Tipping Competition.

The Federal Government views social inclusion as a policy approach that can promote better integration of programs and initiatives across government departments and also across levels of government. While the concept has been criticised for its lack of definition, Government statements about it have consistently referred to its desire to find ways to make social inclusion more concrete through finding practical, local projects that increase opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities. Key emphases are homelessness, disability and mental health, indigenous disadvantage, pre-school education access and employment.

As the ANZ’s Saul Eslake and the Business Council of Australia’s Michael Chaney have recently expressed: reducing disadvantage is now both a moral and economic imperative for Australia. In its submission - Reducing Barriers to Employer Uptake from Groups with Low Participation in the Workforce - to the Federal Government this year, the Business Council of Australia claims that over the next twenty years Australia will face the dual aging population challenge of an increasing number of welfare dependents against its declining taxpaying workforce.

Currently there are just five workers paying income tax for every one person reliant wholly or mainly on welfare payments. This is compared to 22 workers for every welfare recipient in the mid 1960’s and the Federal Government’s Intergenerational Reports highlight the further expected decline in this ratio. The limited pool of employees will act as a break, slowing economic growth. The Australian minerals boom and consequent employment shortages has provided an example of the issues likely to face employers and the economy more broadly in the future. In dealing with these challenges Australia must undertake steps to improve the productivity of it's existing workforce including through increased education and skill levels, currently being addressed through the Productivity Places Program.

But skilled employment is only part of the employee shortage picture and while employers compete for human resources, Australia faces a second major challenge. Despite more than a decade of sustained economic growth there remain around 2.3 million people on welfare who are outside the main stream economy and therefore continue to miss out on Australia’s prosperity. Lack of employment is a key contributor to social exclusion, connected with a myriad of problems from mental health through to intergenerational poverty. Australia’s unemployed and “non-participants” in the workforce represent a substantial untapped resource. In 2007 the Business Council of Australia undertook research which estimated that around one million individuals who are currently not participating in the workforce have the capacity to be in productive employment if key barriers were addressed. Improving hiring and retention rates of individuals from these disadvantaged groups offers multiple benefits for the individual business through to the economy more broadly.

So faced with the prospect of greater competition for limited labour resources in the future, what can Business do to make hiring from disadvantaged groups a success? It is important to note up-front that recruiting new employees involves risks. Internal strategies for addressing these risks need to be adjusted when hiring from more disadvantaged pools in order to ensure that the initial hire is a success and that the employee is retained. Following are ten factors, which businesses experienced in this area, including Rio Tinto, Toll Holdings, NAB, IBM, and Qantas, have nominated as contributing to their success in hiring and retaining staff from disadvantaged groups.

1. Be clear about the business’ motivations in hiring from disadvantaged groups. The most successful organisations in this area have been those where the specific hiring program has an appropriate ‘fit’. For example, a mining company which operates in remote communities which hires Indigenous youths.

2. Direction and leadership regarding the importance of hiring and retaining from these groups needs to be reinforced by the CEO and supported by senior management and its’ business management practices.

3. Businesses need to ensure that the staffing, hiring and retention policies are directly tied into the business plan and vision. Investment in human capital requirements must be treated as seriously as any physical capital investment, including planning and lead times. Organisations such as Rio Tinto have had greater success where the objective of increasing hiring and retention from these groups is directly reflected in manager’s key performance plans. Ensuring that relevant management’s performance indicators include successful hiring and retention of individuals will directly contribute to problem solving within organisations.

4. Start small. Keep it simple, manageable and real. Hiring one person will assist that individual and may also have positive impacts in shifting attitudes for others in the workplace. Beyond this there will be further positive impacts on the individual’s family, peer group and wider community such as changing perceptions regarding what is feasible amongst their peers. Conversely, starting a large program which is insufficiently resourced and does not succeed can have detrimental impacts on both the individuals involved and the business.

5. Prior to the recruitment process use business networks, government and employment provider resources to develop an initial understanding of the target group. Roles, training and business practices may need to be adjusted. For example, some target groups typically perform well in a team environment but not in an isolated position. However, do not assume that one size fits all. Businesses should ensure that sufficient time is spent on understanding an individual’s specific challenges and requirements. There also needs to be effective emphasis on helping individuals develop an understanding of the business and specific expectations of them.

6. The business needs to ensure their goal of increasing hiring and retention from low participating groups is backed by investment over an effective length of time and with adequate resources. Hiring from disadvantaged groups involves long term commitments. A business can expect positive returns on their investment in an individual but this will generally be over an extended period. Resources will be required for training and mentoring of individuals. Appropriate site or workplace preparation including infrastructure changes and training for those who will work with the individual is crucial. Flexibility may also be needed regarding that group’s performance in the initial months.

7. Start with a site or department which displays the most compatible and ‘healthy’ culture where the individual is most likely to succeed.

8. Where the benefits are clear but the risks appear to outweigh them, consideration should be given to a program of work experience. Work experience programs provide a valuable community contribution, with the individuals involved benefiting directly. They also allow the business to trial the potential costs and benefits of a longer term commitment to an employee.

9. Develop a long term relationship with potential employment service providers, such as Status. Long lead times allow more targeted training by the provider with greater capacity to ensure direct relevance to the organisation.

10. Mentoring has a proven track record of success. Experienced businesses recommend using the mentoring services facilitated by employment providers and establishing a parallel mentoring program within the organisation. Companies such as Qantas for example, employ external people with specialist skills in training and mentoring rather than taking their existing employees off line.

Social Inclusion therefore is not just about poverty and the provision of welfare – it is about active citizenship and participation, ensuring all Australians can participate in the economic, social and civic life of the nation.

Bev Felmingham
with Status’ Practice Manager for Job Network - Scott Hunter