People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
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The diversity target for cultural and linguistic diversity refers specifically to speaking a language other than English at home.
The Public Sector Commission has worked with the Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism to ensure the WfQ survey captures a broader definition of cultural and linguistic diversity including language spoken with friends and/or community as well as self-described ethnicity or cultural background. These changes support the implementation of the Queensland’s Multicultural Action Plan.
Progress towards target
In the 2024 WfQ survey, 11.75% of respondents speak a language other than English at home while 13.89% speak a language other than English with their family and/or community.
The most commonly spoken languages at home and with family and/or community are Mandarin and Hindi.
Four percent of respondents speak Aboriginal languages at home.
Four percent of respondents speak Aboriginal languages with family and/or community.
| Language you use at home | 2024 | Language used with family and/or community | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin | 8.20% | Hindi | 8.21% |
| Hindi | 7.55% | Mandarin | 8.11% |
| Spanish | 5.39% | Spanish | 5.91% |
| Cantonese | 4.69% | Cantonese | 4.74% |
| Filipino | 4.26% | Italian | 4.11% |
| Aboriginal language(s) | 3.63% | Filipino | 4.11% |
| Malayalam | 3.10% | Aboriginal language(s) | 3.54% |
| Italian | 2.86% | French | 3.30% |
| Vietnamese | 2.71% | Vietnamese | 2.66% |
| French | 2.71% | Maori | 2.65% |
| Punjabi | 2.41% | Malayalam | 2.54% |
| Maori | 2.38% | Punjabi | 2.40% |
| Tamil | 2.33% | Tamil | 2.36% |
| Torres Strait language(s) | 2.19% | Torres Strait language(s) | 2.16% |
| Sinhalese | 2.15% | Tagalog | 2.15% |
| Telugu | 2.04% | Gujarati | 1.87% |
| Tagalog | 1.99% | Greek | 1.87% |
| Gujarati | 1.84% | Sinhalese | 1.77% |
| Arabic | 1.66% | Telugu | 1.76% |
| Greek | 1.45% | Arabic | 1.69% |
| Urdu | 1.41% | Urdu | 1.37% |
| Persian | 1.24% | Auslan | 1.19% |
| Auslan | 1.18% | Persian | 1.11% |
| Turkish | 0.36% | Turkish | 0.34% |
| Macedonian | 0.33% | Macedonian | 0.34% |
| Other | 35.64% | Other | 36.21% |
| Prefer not to say | 7.01% | Prefer not to say | 7.31% |
Source: WfQ 2024.
Employee engagement
Employee engagement for culturally and linguistically diverse employees7 has increased from 66% in 2022 to 71% in 2024. The extent to which people are likely to recommend their organisation as a great place to work has improved notably with an increase from 68% in 2022 to 75% in 2024.
Employees who speak a language other than English at home are more engaged (71%) than their English-speaking colleagues (60%).
| Speaks a language other than English at home | English at home | |
|---|---|---|
| Employee engagement | 71% | 60% |
| I am proud to tell others I work for my organisation | 78% | 68% |
| I would recommend my organisation as a great place to work | 75% | 64% |
| My organisation inspires me to do the best in my job | 69% | 58% |
| My organisation motivates me to help it achieve its objectives | 69% | 57% |
| I feel strong personal attachment to my organisation | 63% | 55% |
Source: WfQ 2024.
Safe, respect and included
Like engagement, employees that speak a language other than English at home feel safer, more respected and more included than those that speak English at home.
| % positive employees that | ||
|---|---|---|
| speak a language other than English at home | speak English at home | |
| As an employee of this organisation, I feel safe at work | 84% | 81% |
| As an employee of this organisation, I feel respected at work | 79% | 74% |
| As an employee of this organisation, I feel included at work | 78% | 75% |
| Safe, respected, included | 80% | 77% |
Source: WfQ 2024.
Diversity as a barrier to success
People who speak a language other than English at home were less likely to state that cultural background is not a barrier to success. In 2024, 71% of employees who speak a language other than English at home felt that cultural background is a barrier to success, compared with 75% for those who speak English.
The proportion of people who speak a language other than English at home, who feel cultural background is not a barrier to success, has increased from 66% in 2022 to 71% in 2024.
Employees who speak a language other than English at home feel more positive about the efforts of their organisation, colleagues and managers in creating a culturally safe environment than employees who speak English at home.
The questions below were asked of all employees who identified as culturally and linguistically diverse and included:
- people who speak a language other than English at home
- people who speak a language other than English with family and/or community
- people who were born outside of Australia
- people who identify with an ethnicity or cultural background other than Australia.
Only 38% of respondents agreed that colleagues invite them to share their perspective as a culturally and linguistically diverse person when carrying out work.
Over 50% of respondents agreed that they feel comfortable sharing their perspective and that their perspective is respected.
Close to two thirds feel culturally safe at work.
| Asked of culturally and linguistically diverse | 2024 |
|---|---|
| As a culturally and linguistically diverse person, I feel culturally safe at work. | 62% |
| I feel that my experiences and perspectives as a culturally and linguistically diverse person are respected. | 54% |
| I feel comfortable sharing my perspective as a culturally and linguistically diverse person. | 57% |
| My colleagues invite me to share my perspective as a culturally and linguistically diverse person when carrying out work. | 38% |
Source: WfQ 2024.
Case study: Diversity in action
The establishment of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Consultative Group (CALD CG) in 2021 addresses the challenge of ensuring that the diverse needs of the multicultural workforce are met in a health and safety context. Many employees from CALD backgrounds experience barriers to accessing resources or support, leading to feelings of exclusion and decreased job satisfaction. This gap not only hampers workplace morale but also impacts overall productivity and retention rates.
By leveraging the unique insights of the CALD employees advocating for the organisation within the CALD CG, the Communications, Culture and Engagement Division identified opportunities to enhance QPS as a culturally safe, inclusive and capable organisation. Implementing culturally sensitive training, resources and establishing a multicultural inclusion network has empowered QPS employees, fostering an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued and understood.
Addressing these challenges not only enhances workplace culture but also positions the organisation as a leader in promoting diversity and inclusion. This proactive approach ensures that all employees, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background, have equal access to support and resources, ultimately leading to a more cohesive and productive workforce.
The QPS CALD CG has significantly impacted both the community and the government workforce by fostering a more inclusive and representative environment. The initiatives launched, such as the Multicultural Network, the Calendar of Significant Events and the “Get to Know Your Cultures” program have not only increased awareness of cultural diversity but also resulted in a workforce that better reflects the communities it serves.
Feedback from the Working for Queensland survey indicates higher levels of engagement and satisfaction among employees from CALD backgrounds, highlighting their commitment to making a positive impact.
Employees have expressed that these initiatives have made them feel more valued and understood, which has translated into higher moral and productivity.
“Learning through cartooning (Art in action)”
With Youth Crime and a focus on early intervention in the political spotlight, an Iranian-born Police Liaison Officer crafted an early intervention program for primary school-aged children called “Learning through cartooning (Art in action)”. The program is aimed at Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities with the aim of supporting community safety and crime prevention. This innovative way of engagement and conversation allows students to take the information home and impart this on their family members who may not speak English.
The founding Police Liaison Officer combined their cartooning skills with their passion to nurture and empower the youth of today to create the “Learning through cartooning (Art in action)” program. The program is currently run once a week for 45 minutes with six children from Grades 4 to 6 at a local primary school in the Logan District. All six students are from Middle Eastern backgrounds, however, inclusion across all cultures is encouraged. Through cartooning, the students talk about topics such as road safety, personal safety, home security, anger management and bullying. At the end of each term, the students pick a topic and produce a work of art that consolidates their learnings.
The art created in the “Learning through cartooning (Art in action)” program and relevant crime prevention messages have been communicated across the school community and the greater Logan community via social media. It has drawn interest from other schools within the Logan District. The partnership between the QPS and the affiliated primary school has fostered a positive relationship between students, their families and the wider community. The founding Police Liaison Officer self-initiated this art program as they recognised the need to educate and influence the youth in their community in a positive way in the hope these learnings will be taken home to parents and grandparents.
Pacific Island Roots Program
A primary school within the Logan District approached Queensland Police Service in relation to concerns pertaining to students’ negative attitudes and behaviours towards members of the Queensland Police Service, particularly male students with Pacific Islander heritage.
Discussions amongst Police Liaison Officers of both Tongan and Samoan heritage concluded students would benefit from guidance in relation to connecting to their cultural identity and the need to bring students back to their heritage (roots), resulting in the Pacific Island Roots Program.
Commencing in 2022, the focus of the Pacific Island Roots Program was teaching the students about belonging, building a relationship and respect with the children. The program provided the children with teachings of traditional Haka (ceremonial dance) of their homeland, National Anthem and Australian National Anthem in both English and their home language.
At the end of the year, the children displayed their learnings at a school award ceremony with their parents and families in attendance.
The program has had a positive impact on the affiliated school and wider Pacific Islander community, with supporting feedback received from the school and families involved. Feedback received detailed program participants had progressed to school leadership roles within their class and cohorts. The founding Police Liaison Officer nominated by the affiliated school for the Safe City Logan Council Award for their Pacific Island Roots Program in 2023. This initiative is a testament to the value Police Liaison Officers add to their respective communities.