Leading apparel and homewares retailer Hanes Australasia has ramped up its efforts to ensure people with disability can participate in every aspect of its business by giving team members and managers opportunities to build their disability awareness and confidence.
The organisation is a repeat participant of Australian Disability Network’s Career Mentoring program which helps students and jobseekers with disability develop professionally while giving organisations the opportunity to build their disability confidence and mentoring skills.
The Career Mentoring program matches mentors with advice and wisdom to share with students and jobseekers with disability, based on location, industry, background and other factors.
Hanes Australasia participated in Career Mentoring in 2023 and 2024, and 13 of its senior leaders, including group managers, general managers, and C-suite executives, volunteered to be mentors.
By participating in the Autumn 2024 Career Mentoring program Hanes Australasia experienced significant improvement in their mentors’ disability confidence, including:
- Understanding possible barriers experienced by people with disability (+58.3%),
- Understanding of using appropriate language and terminology (+35.7%),
- Understanding how to be most helpful/supportive (+66.7%),
- Awareness of your organisation’s workplace adjustment policies and procedures (+42.9%),
- Skills in managing and supporting an employee with disability (+90.0%).
Reflecting on the Career Mentoring Program Bethan Allen – a Hanes Australasia Mentor, said:
“I thoroughly enjoyed my involvement in the Career Mentoring Program, supporting my mentee in their application and interview for an upcoming internship. Alongside developing interview skills and techniques, I was able to support in networking opportunities for my mentee to help them learn more about potential career paths within their chosen field.
“The program has given me new perspectives and approaches to supporting inclusivity in the workplace. Whether being more conscious of the environment, the learning platform or the communication method, small adjustments can support anyone to perform at their best, regardless of their disability.”
Sharon Kumar, Australian Disability Network’s Head of Programs said Hanes Australasia took a top-down approach with the Career Mentoring program through the involvement of its leadership team.
“Disability inclusion is more readily achieved if an organisation’s executives lead by example as demonstrated by the commitment of many of Hanes’ senior managers.”