Woolworths, Bunnings Warehouse, and Westpac might seem like an unusual group to mention together. However, they share a significant trait: each has taken proactive steps to recruit from often-overlooked talent pools. These pools include individuals with disabilities, partners of Defence Force personnel, veterans, and young adults who are currently not in school or employment.
Talented individuals in traditionally underemployed groups are eager to enter the workforce – yet are often overlooked as job candidates. Although many of these people are actively seeking work and offer employers a valuable source of potential talent, they are often sidelined when it comes to job opportunities.
Hiring from these groups isn’t about charity; it’s sound business practice. With Australia’s unemployment rate hovering around 3.5-4% in recent years, finding reliable employees can be challenging. Many companies making the effort to engage with these communities are discovering valuable team members.
For instance, Woolworths is working with the Australian Disability Network on the Career Pathways Pilot 2023-2025, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services. The program aims to boost employment and provide career pathways for people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, Westpac’s Veterans Initiative aims to attract, recruit, retain and mentor applicants including veterans, Defence spouses, and reservists, providing better financial outcomes for veterans and their families.
These candidates bring unique skills that make them ideally suited for specific roles. Defence Force veterans, for example, often excel in innovation, adaptability, and problem-solving – traits they’ve developed through rigorous training and challenging roles. Military spouses, most of whom are women in their prime working years, experience high levels of unemployment due to the lifestyle demands of frequent relocations. Yet, they tend to be highly educated and resilient.
Over 20% of Australians live with a disability, yet bias and misconceptions often cloud their employment prospects. SHRM research shows that individuals with disabilities are often exceptionally dedicated and display strong job retention rates. Bunnings Warehouse has worked to address this gap, partnering with local agencies to employ individuals with disabilities and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Australia’s “opportunity youth” includes nearly 250,000 young people aged 16 to 24 who are neither working nor studying. Companies that have formed partnerships with advocacy organisations to engage with this group report overwhelmingly positive results, with 96% seeing direct benefits from employing these young Australians.
Australia’s business landscape is evolving, with leading companies like Woolworths, Bunnings Warehouse, and Westpac setting an example by recognising the strengths of underrepresented groups. By shifting their recruitment strategies to welcome people from all walks of life, these companies are not only filling hard-to-staff roles but also enriching their teams with fresh perspectives and unique skills.
As Australia continues to face workforce challenges, the success stories of these initiatives underscore a simple truth: inclusive hiring is more than a good deed – it’s a smart business decision that fosters a resilient and diverse workforce, ready to meet the demands of a changing economy.