Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Hays

By embracing the differences in who we are, what we have experienced, and how we think, we can generate richer insights that benefit our people, our customers, and our business.

 

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Strategy has three interrelated focus areas that guide the actions we take to achieve diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes, enabling us to attract diverse talent and ensuring our people feel a strong sense of belonging and achieve career success at Hays. 

Our Employee Resource and Working Groups are an integral component of our DE&I Strategy. By joining Hays, you’ll have the opportunity to be part of a supportive community and drive real and meaningful change at Hays – and beyond. Our Employee Resource Groups include:

 

We recognise that families come in all different shapes and sizes. Our Parents ERG supports and connects employees on all stages of their parenting journey, and is inclusive of single parents, LGBTQIA+ parents, adoptive parents and parents-to-be.

 

Our Pride ERG is a community of LGBTQIA+ employees and allies who are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment for everyone at Hays. The Pride ERG celebrates the diversity of identities and experiences and fosters a culture of belonging at Hays. Our Pride ERG aims to raise awareness, provide education, and promote positive change for the LGBTQIA+ community both within our organisation and beyond. In 2024 we were recognised as an AWEI Bronze Tier Employer in the Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards. Click here to read more about this award and the actions we have taken to ensure diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 

Our vision for reconciliation is that all Australians recognise, respect, and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their knowledges, cultures, and connection to Country.

 

Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group is responsible for developing and implementing our RAP, reporting on our progress, ensuring effective governance and engaging our people on our reconciliation journey.

 

Click to read more about our reconciliation commitments. 

 

We’re proud of the strong representation of women in leadership positions in our business. Our WE Lead ERG aims to support and empower women at Hays, enabling a high-performance culture through community building and collective action and ensuring a strong focus on maintaining a gender-balanced workforce across all levels of our organisation.

 

Click to read more about our approach to gender equality at Hays.

Hays invests in a range of memberships, partnerships and external benchmarking which supports our approach to achieving diversity, equity and inclusion.

 

Hays is a member of Australian Disability Network - Australia’s peak body helping employers to build the confidence and capability to welcome and include people with disability as employees and as customers. Through this partnership our people have access to Disability Confident Recruiter training.

 

Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)

 

Hays has a longstanding relationship with work and study programs with headspace through our Helping For Your Tomorrow program. We have also joined as expert guest panellists for headspace’s Learning Collective Pride Panel Discussion where our representative shared their experiences and discussed workplace inclusion for the LGBTQIA+ community and support for young people.

 

Hays partners with Job Access by providing meaningful employment opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities.

 

Mandura

 

Hays has maintained a long-standing partnership with Pride in Diversity, specialists in HR, organisational change and diversity and aim to improve LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Through this membership, our people have access to LGBTQ+ inclusion training.

 

For years we have developed and fostered partnerships in support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and we are proud of the progress made following the development of our inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan in 2020.

 

In 2023 we launched our Innovate Reconciliation Plan which reaffirms our commitment to reconciliation and outlines how we will continue to create meaningful, respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that elevates equity and inclusion in our workplace, communities and in society for a just and reconciled future. It also outlines how we will continue to identify opportunities to further the economic and social prosperity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

 

As part of the Helping For Your Tomorrow program, we've have partnered with The Smith Family in Australia, a national children's charity with a core purpose to overcome educational inequality that is caused by poverty. Hays supports The Smith Family with fundraising activities across Australia as well as participating in career mentoring opportunities.

 

We know the importance of ensuring inclusive spaces for young people. Hays supports Wear It Purple through fundraising initiatives and raising awareness of this important day of recognition. In 23/24 Hays were one of the top 5 fundraising teams in Australia.