Published works

In 2016, the emergency management sector (EMS) acknowledged that action was needed to address the low representation of diversity in its workforce. This was being driven by a moral imperative to better represent the communities they serve (AFAC, 2016). The role of the EMS was also changing in response to ongoing unprecedented natural hazard events and the need for more strategic approaches to building resilience. This meant renegotiating the relationship between emergency management organisations (EMOs) and their communities, reinforcing the importance of D&I. This brought to the fore the need to understand how to improve the effectiveness and value of D&I in EMOs.

The main goal of the three-year project was to work with those in the sector engaged in D&I practice and develop an evidence-based framework capable of supporting more effective management and measurement of D&I. This was carried out in three phases: (1) understanding the context, (2) development of the framework, and (3) testing. Each phase was subject to annual review and the program was adjusted in response to the outcomes of those reviews.

The project used the ‘working from the inside out’ methodology to provide the framework for its activities (see p17 for details). This is a transdisciplinary approach that aims to develop workable solutions to seemingly intractable problems through collaborative research codesigned with end-users. The transdisciplinary aspect integrates different knowledge systems. It starts with understanding user needs and context, surveys available knowledge from a wide range of sources, puts this knowledge into a format that can be used in practice, and lastly tests the research outputs and refines this with end-users. The process is iterative with the key features of systemic assessments, integration into decision-making systems, translation, learning, adjustment and communication with end-users. Its key purpose is to ensure that research is fit-for-purpose and useable.

Following the scoping phase of the research project, three lines of inquiry were established to analyse the key systems that most directly influence D&I for EMOs – organisational, economic and community. A mixed methods approach was undertaken that incorporated case studies, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, decision-making assessments, desktop reviews of organisational documents, informal and formal literature, and ongoing review and feedback with end-users.

The initial literature review (Young et al, 2018a) assessed where D&I practice was considered effective, the contributing factors to effectiveness and its benefits throughout the emergency services. It also reviewed the organisational change and innovation literature. In more recent years, the literature has changed focus from addressing diversity towards understanding the role of inclusion. It highlights the role of systemic approaches and the importance of understanding context in relation to achieving effective outcomes. The literature had stagnated in some areas, with few examples of successful implementation. The emergency services were not well-represented.

The final conclusion was that there were no suitable frameworks available and that information about the specific contexts for D&I in the emergency services was limited. To provide a focus for the project and to inform practice, a definition of effective diversity (see p16) was developed.

We undertook case studies in three EMOs to inform the sectoral context. D&I was present in all organisations, but not well-integrated into systems and processes, or connected to day-to-day decision making and tasks. The largest barrier was culture, and the largest need was in the area of management. Strategic vision and supportive organisational frameworks and processes were limited, resulting in shorter term, reactive approaches dominating the implementation of D&I.

Predominantly response-based and hierarchical cultures and tactical decision making were often at odds with the more strategic-based softer skills required for D&I. Many activities had not been effectively socialised or communicated, resulting in confusion, fear, resistance and difficult behaviours. There were also cultural gaps between upper and lower tiers in organisations. Implementation often focused on ‘obtaining (gender-based) diversity quotas’, and rather than creating an inclusive culture, was felt to have polarised gender-based issues. There was a lack of awareness of what constituted appropriate language use and behaviours in relation to diverse communities and individuals. There was also no compelling narrative as to why it would be a business imperative or even perceived as such.

At the end of phase one, key components for the framework were identified. These were organised across the following areas: a strategic process of change, a programmatic continuous-improvement process and organic bottom-up growth. To develop these, further mapping and investigation of skills and capabilities in organisations and communities, and greater understanding of the economic value generated by programs were needed.

A turning point for the project was during phase two, following the ‘Into the future: building skills and capabilities for a diverse and inclusive workforce’ workshop in December 2018. Exploration of three scenarios revealed the extent of D&I-related risk to EMOs. These related to the mitigation and management of social, human and innovation risk. These were not being formally managed or, in some cases, even recognised. It also highlighted the need to manage innovation risk during implementation activities. A better understanding of these risks provided the connection between day-to-day tasks and the business imperative for EMOs.

The participants in the workshop displayed a high level of skill and capability in these areas. Other work undertaken with Women and Firefighting Australasia (WAFA) indicated that the sector was becoming more aware of these risks, but needed further development of systems, skills and capabilities to manage them.

The risks associated with D&I are not new, but are still largely unrecognised as part of formal risk management within organisations. Skills and capabilities associated with D&I practice were, for the most part, being given a lower priority than those required to manage more established and accepted risks. If left unmanaged, D&I risks are likely to ‘impair the ability of EMOs to perform their functions effectively’ (Young et al, 2019).  

Two economic case studies highlighted the benefits that could be achieved by successful programs. The Indigenous Fire and Rescue Employment Strategy (IFARES) program produced $20.00 of benefits for every dollar invested (Rasmussen and Maharaj, 2019). However, existing economic models need further development before programs for different cultural cohorts can be comprehensively assessed. Appropriate data also needs to be collected from the beginning of programs to support this.

The community case studies (Pyke, 2018b; Macdonald, 2020a, 2020b) illustrated some of the complexities in relation to the capabilities of diverse cohorts and young people, but each has its own context that needs further exploration. Although culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities have many capabilities, these have not been examined with respect to various needs, so are unlikely to be harnessed effectively in an inclusive manner (Pyke, 2018b; MacDonald, 2020a).

The final D&I framework  (Young and Jones, 2020) is constructed around four components:

• Strategic – transformational change.
• Programmatic – continuous improvement.
• Inclusive growth – bottom-up engagement.
• Risk management – human, social and innovation risk associated with D&I.

This is developed to be flexible and adaptable, to aid decision making in a range of different contexts, and to be useful in full or in parts, depending on the situation an organisation may encounter and the context is which this is occurring. The strategic and programmatic processes are supported by guidance that outlines the key phases and question-focused considerations for practitioners (Young and Jones, 2020) and three practitioner manuals (Macdonald, 2020a; Ooi, 2020; Young et al, 2020). Progress over the three years of the project has culminated in the following conclusive statements (Young and Jones, 2020):

• Effective D&I is an imperative for all EMOs if they are to mitigate and manage the human, social and innovation risk associated with the changing risk landscape occupied by organisations and communities.
• Improving D&I provides a tangible way to build robust and resilient social infrastructure in communities and organisations.
• Social and human risks associated with D&I have, for the most part, been seen as secondary to more technical and tangible risks, and their value is not well recognised or understood.
• D&I is not a fixed-point destination to arrive at. It is a series of destinations that organisations and communities move through as they work towards a desired, inclusive vision. This vision provides the destination that enables the development of the transitions needed to achieve an outcome.
• Inclusion is not about being permissive. It is about understanding the formation of new boundaries and who should decide what those boundaries are. It is also not one conversation, but many different voices coming together to negotiate a collaborative outcome.
• Statements of inclusion drafted by diverse groups that outline the terms of their inclusion are needed to enable negotiation from a position of empowerment. These statements support the development of respectful relationships that celebrate difference through a shared understanding of what is needed and how it is needed.

Common aspects found to support effective programs include:

• Ensuring there are safe spaces where difference is welcomed and accepted, where and how the terms of inclusion can be negotiated, and concerns can be addressed.
• Organisations need an authorising environment (structures, governance and processes) and a mandate to operate (social licence) if programs are to be effective. Upper-level advocacy, support and commitment to the D&I agenda over the longer term is critical.
• Ensuring that people who are undertaking and leading activities have the appropriate skills and knowledge to manage proactively and effectively. Authentic actions are needed to build trust in the longer term.
• A pragmatic approach where organisational champions and leaders are able to respond, capitalise on and leverage opportunities as they arise.
• To look beyond the organisation itself and understand where the interactions between the community, EMOs and other institutions (such as government), need to be managed and who needs to manage these.
• The development of collaborative and individual narratives that take the conversation ‘beyond the numbers and quotas’ to tell stories that connect people to each other and humanise risk so that it is understood and valued.

This project has experienced a high level of uptake and use during its three-year term. This has been aided by the sector’s focus on progressing the D&I agenda, and the work of peak agencies and end-user organisations to develop programs and leadership. It has also contributed to the repositioning of the D&I agenda as a risk-based business imperative, and has developed and provided materials to support the integration of D&I into resilience, risk and workforce planning frameworks. Its effectiveness and impact are due to the collaboration and commitment of the end-user group who have actively participated, supported and promoted the work over the life of the project.

Considerable work is still needed in developing measurement protocols, particularly those related to economic evaluation and the effectiveness of inclusion. Further work is also needed to identify and document the specific capabilities and skills needed to support this. As D&I is a long-term and dynamic issue, longitudinal evaluation is needed to assess returns on investment, ensure that visibility is maintained, and deeper understandings continue to develop. 

The final framework, which has been developed in close collaboration with practitioners in EMOs, provides a basis on which to build. The collateral from this study also captures and consolidates some of the considerable knowledge that already exists within these organisations to be used as reference material. This project has shown that achieving truly diverse and inclusive organisations is a long road, but it is one that EMOs are already travelling.