Human Resources Unit
The following information provides advice and support for supervisors of Indigenous employees. If you have any questions or require further assistance please contact the Consultant HR Services (Indigenous Employment) on 21643.
In the process of selecting the most suitable Indigenous employee, ensure that an Indigenous person is on the panel who is of a different clan group from the candidate(s). Preferably the representative should be the Consultant HR Services (Indigenous Employment) or nominee.
Ensure panel members have a clear understanding of the diversity of ways in which Indigenous candidates may meet the selection criteria. Contact the Consultant HR Services (Indigenous Employment) for advice.
For Indigenous candidates, behavioural interviewing strategies may be especially appropriate for discerning the candidate's ability to perform the essential tasks required with the position. Contact the HR Services team for further clarification on how to include these techniques effectively.
When considering recruiting potential Indigenous employees, ideally at least two Indigenous people should be recruited into an area, however, if this is not possible ensure suitable support is organised promptly.
Cultural Awareness workshops are offered on an as-needs basis. If you believe that your area would benefit from a training session outside of the sessions offered by the Human Resources Unit – please contact the Consultant HR Services (Indigenous Employment). All staff working with Indigenous employees are strongly encouraged to attend at least one session per year.
Supervisors should discuss with the Consultant HR Services (Indigenous Employment) any concerns they may have with an Indigenous employee. Discussion may lead to identifying some of the concerns/issues as being culturally based and advice can be provided so the workplace can work towards an effective solution with the employee.
All Indigenous employees are able to join the Indigenous Staff Network and supervisors are encouraged to support their employee’s attendance at these forums.
This group meets at least quarterly and the aim is to provide an opportunity for employees to talk about their backgrounds, aspirations, the type of work they do and where they work. They will also occasionally discuss problems and work together in identifying strategies to overcome difficulties.
Supervisors should aim to develop good communication systems with the Indigenous employee. The onus is on the supervisor to initially start discussion with the employee until they have built up confidence and knowledge of the workplace and are able to take initiative.
Discussions should be held on:
The supervisor should discuss with the Indigenous employee an agreed format for providing feedback and how records of discussions and agreed actions are maintained. Some supervisors agree to meet formally on a monthly basis with their employee unless both parties agree that the meeting is not necessary. The aim of formalising feedback sessions is to ensure both parties have a reference point to discuss issues.
It is important to use effective communication techniques during discussions (close attention, questioning, prompting, etc). It is good practice for supervisors to provide constant feedback through careful monitoring of the Indigenous employee’s workload and performance.
If there are performance problems during probation, mentors and staff with expertise in Indigenous issues should be consulted and involved early in the process of counselling and performance standard setting.
Supervisors should also be aware of staff criticising cultural practices or characteristics e.g. extended family obligations, communications styles, humour, etc. Any criticism should be handled in a constructive manner and have a legitimate basis.
Supervisors are encouraged to take a flexible approach to concepts of family consistent with cultural values. The concept of ‘extended family’ in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures can include, but is not limited to, the spouse, parent, parent of a spouse, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, guardian, foster parent, step-parent, step-brother, step-sister, half-brother, half-sister, child, foster child, or step-child.
Indigenous employees may also have days off to attend to family obligations that are often culturally based, for example, attendance at funerals. However, the supervisor should establish with their Indigenous employee the nature of the absence particularly if the employee is developing a pattern of absence from work or coming in late to work. Any emergency problems should be addressed immediately with the help of the Indigenous employment consultant.
All Indigenous employees have been allocated a mentor outside of their immediate work site to provide assistance and support. The mentor is available to meet with the employee at mutually agreeable times and locations with the supervisor’s approval. The frequencies of their meetings are determined by the needs of the employee. It is useful to encourage employees to keep in touch with their mentor, as they can often be a good source of help in some discussions, e.g. attendance, performance management etc.
