Employees with disabilities are an underrepresented segment of the workforce in the Australian Public Service Commission (APS).
To create a more representative and inclusive culture, the APS, as well as some individual states, have set targets for increasing the number of employees with disabilities. Reaching that target would attract and support individuals with disabilities in the workplace, leading to more humane and fair policies for the communities they represent.
A science-based approach to diversity and inclusion initiatives can be useful in creating a public-sector culture in which individuals with disabilities feel valued and included.
Government agencies will benefit from a thorough understanding of the science-based underpinnings of bias, speaking up, and equity that inform and shape organisational decisions and culture.