Sydney, 28 February 2019: Michael Page Australia & New Zealand has recently refreshed its Employee Handbook and a number of HR Policies to reflect a business which fully embraces the evolving dynamics of the workplace, and promotes diversity and equality for its staff.The importance of LGBTI-inclusive employment practices at Michael Page has led to the removal of all gender references including dress code in its Employee Handbook, and updated to reference all new policies and entitlements. The handbook has also explicitly added “inclusive of same sex partners” where applicable. Its transgender guidelines have been refreshed, in conjunction with our partner Pride in Diversity, to meet best practice wording, while documents and forms now incorporate transgender candidates and have been made more trans-friendly by removing the reason for change of name.Michael Page ANZ has also launched Foster Carers Leave, and has updated parental leave, making it easier for non-child bearing parents to take paid and unpaid extended leave after the birth or adoption of a child. All gender references have also been removed. Short term paid parental leave has been doubled with up to 10 days and can now be taken flexibly.Rani Nandan, Senior Regional HR Manager ANZ, Michael Page Australia says the recruitment company is one of a small number of employers who allow and encourage short term parental leave to be taken flexibly.In addition, the business has updated its domestic violence policy, offering up to 5 days paid leave and 10 days unpaid leave.“Our domestic violence leave goes above and beyond the new legislation; we are committed to supporting those affected. The feedback for our updated HR policies has been immensely positive. We’ve already had our first father taking long term parental leave,” Rani Nandan notes.“With the support of our ANZ Leadership team and as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we reviewed all our policies with the goal of equality and inclusion.“We want to attract and retain a more diverse workforce so after partnering with organisations, such as Pride in Diversity and Parents At Work, we were able to leverage their support and guidance on best practice.”Further, Michael Page ANZ’s broad diversity and inclusion banner, Open Page, is a core part of its employee value proposition.“We have an increasing number of employees joining our internal networks and more external diversity events than ever before, demonstrating our employees recognise both the engagement and commercial benefits of inclusion,” she says.Michael Page Australia was the first recruitment agency to become a member of Pride in Diversity. “We leveraged that first year of membership to drive the LGBTI agenda both internally and externally,” Rani Nandan says.Matthew Gribble, Regional Managing Director, PageGroup Australia and New Zealand adds: “It is my personal commitment to lead an organisation that ensures an absolute level playing field for all our staff irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and religious and political beliefs. “Diversity at PageGroup benefits us and our key stakeholders in so many ways, most notably the wide range perspectives our people bring to their work and the better decision making this drives. We have also naturally become advocates of diversity with our clients.”Michael Page is a worldwide leader in recruitment that has been operating in Australia for over 30 years. Michael Page brings together Australia’s best employers and brightest talent across a broad range of industries and job types in permanent, temporary and contract roles. The company is proud member of Pride in Diversity, the Diversity Council Australia, and the Australian Network on Disability.****END****
