WHAT WE DO
Audit and Advisory
We offer 5 key services that authentically leads positive change – because we get to the truth fast for our clients, so that investment is targeted to the right change at the right time.
1. Listening Sessions
We get to the heart of the truth fast, by listening to people and their experiences of inclusion and exclusion, perceived fairness and equity. Only when we know the truth can we lead change with our clients from a person-centric perspective. Often our clients come to use with an idea of what they want to do, but it is often based on homogenous information, e.g. engagement survey data and this can leave people behind and their unique experiences. We run deep listening sessions and produce a behavioural insights report that leads change that is meaningful.
2. Demographic Data Collection by Survey
Our clients often want demographic data in their systems about the diversity attributes in their workforce. Disclosing information about identities, is a safety issue and unless there is a culture of safety, people are fearful of sharing this data. We also find that clients want too much of information, e.g. on ancestry and languages spoken, without a particular utilisation of this data. We lead this piece with safety in mind and are pragmatic about what data will lead positive change. This is a key advisory piece that is done with care.
3. Audit of EAP
[Employee Assistance Programs]
We have done several audits of EAP services in Australia and while they are person-centred, the kind of care is often Westernized self-care, does not account for intersections [e.g. someone experiencing racism and sexism at the same time]. We work to audit EAP services, with Pola Practice led by two women of colour and provide quick reparations to the service, working collaboratively with EAP providers. This is a key system of care that requires improvement.
4. Board Assessment of Inclusion
We find that Boards are increasingly focussed on bringing women in and people of colour. How safe is it for these people with differences, how do they get their voices heard, and how is their difference valued? We observe boards in action, audit for inclusion and psychological safety and we recommend doing this well before recruitment of diverse peoples happens.
5. Recruitment and Selection Audits
We work with our clients and Michael Page clients to assess structural barriers in job descriptions, job ads, interview guides. We often find that language is gendered, culturally exclusionary, exclusionary for people with disabilities when the role and person specifications are described. This means that it won’t attract or fairly assess people with diverse attributes and this needs to be addressed with urgency. A short phrase welcoming diverse candidates to apply is not enough.
Acknowledgement to Country
At MindTribes, we pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. Representing the oldest living culture in the world, First Nations people have been the traditional custodians of this land for more than 65000 years. Australia, is the only commonwealth country that does not have a signed treaty (a formal agreement with the government and Indigenous people). We at MindTribes are committed to ensuring that every client we partner with has a meaningful and action-based Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)– whilst we don’t design or deliver a RAP, one of our first principles is not doing business with a client who does not have a RAP or an intention to execute a RAP in the time we are with them.