So, you’re hiring a First Nations candidate.

What next?

Based on a 2020 study of 1,033 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers based in Australia, 39% of participants said they carried the burden of “high cultural load” presenting in the form of expectation to educate others regarding Indigenous engagement. In addition, 63% reported high levels of identity strain, feeling different to the dominant workplace culture. Despite these figures, more than 2,000 Australian organisations have formalised their commitment to reconciliation with a reconciliation action plan since 2006. If you’re new to hiring First Nations candidates, here’s some things to keep in mind.

There are three key areas that employers should consider when looking to recruit First Nations candidates:

1. Cultural load

Employers should be aware of cultural load and ask themselves the following questions to ensure they can mitigate the burden of a high cultural load on First Nations employees:

• What steps are being taken to mitigate high volumes of cultural load?
• Is there a position in place specifically for Indigenous engagement?
• Are those who are experiencing high volumes of cultural load being appropriately compensated through recognition and remuneration?
• Is there an awareness of the impact of cultural load in the first instance?

2. The right workplace employee training

Employers should interrogate their employee training and induction plan to determine if it adequately supports First Nations employees.

A survey published by the Australian Government’s Jobs and Skills Australia in Jan 2023 found that, “some 52% of businesses used strategies to assist First Nations applicants to transition into the job, with a buddy or mentoring system being most common. However, employers rarely adopted strategies specifically geared toward First Nations employment transitions, such as Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) or cultural competency training for staff.” These figures indicate there is room for improvement, employers should engage in appropriate training strategies and induction processes that support the transition of First Nations employees into their new role.

3. Continuous evaluation and improvement

It’s important that employers don’t simply ‘set and forget’ when it comes to bridging the gap in fundamental policies and procedures. Regularly monitoring and evaluating transition infrastructure is important for employers to ensure that their approaches and strategies continue to foster an environment fit for success.

Have you considered all of the above?

Employers that address these topics are more likely to see success when working with First Nations employees. At the core, each employer should ask themselves the same question when it comes to First Nations recruitment – are we setting ourselves and the new candidate up for success or for failure?