The Reconciliation Week morning tea – empty gesture or a launching pad?

The Centre for Indigenous People and Work (CIPW) is urging for practical organisational action to target workplace racism.

According to CIPW director, Professor Nareen Young, “showing up for National Reconciliation Week is important, but putting on a breakfast or hosting a panel discussion once a year does little to improve outcomes for Indigenous workers”.

As reported previously, the Gari Yala 2 research study found that more than 50 per cent of 1,100 surveyed Indigenous workers had experienced race-based comments or assumptions; at the same time, it suggested that superficial initiatives don’t make much impact unless they are backed by structural changes.

Unfortunately, as Young identified, “too often, the reconciliation box is ticked, and these issues are forgotten about until next year”.

“We’re certainly not against morning teas or panel discussions. But if that is all your workplace is prepared to do, then you’re not going to overcome racism or improve outcomes for Indigenous workers,” Young said.

While celebrating significant First Nation dates was the most commonly reported workplace initiative reported by Indigenous workers, it was less impactful against racism than systems that shape the everyday experience.

Young said: “If Reconciliation Week events energise and motivate management and staff to make practical change, then that is time well spent.”

“Events like morning teas work best as a launch pad to introduce practical changes that will make a real difference.”

A way of achieving this, Young identified, is adding a call to action as part of the morning tea, perhaps encouraging all employees to attend cultural safety training or learn about Indigenous-inclusive recruitment.

She urged organisations to, at minimum, meet their legal obligations under the Race Discrimination Act, which includes a well-communicated complaint procedure, an anti-racism policy that explains what racism looks like, relevant rights and responsibilities, and how to respond effectively, and regular anti-discrimination training that includes Indigenous-experienced racism content.

Gari Yala found that workplace racism dropped by more than 20 per cent in organisations where a racism complaint procedure was introduced.

“Organisations also need to follow self-determination principles when designing HR policies and practices that will impact – this means, following HR guidance that has been created by mob for mob,” Young said.

Finally, she asserted: “We also found that enabling Indigenous workers to connect with each other at work was also linked with greater cultural safety and workplace wellbeing.”

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