After a wildly successful national tour in 2019, the Gold Industry Group’s Great Diversity Debate returns this Friday night to focus on one of the hottest topics to hit the workplace since the pandemic. Is working from home a golden opportunity or a cage with gold bars?
Love it or hate it, chances are you’ve been required to abruptly adapt to the working from home lifestyle. For some, it was a welcome change to office life and for others, it may have resembled a restrictive prison sentence. So we’re putting it to our panel of experts to battle it out.
Gold Industry Group Chairperson and Gold Fields Vice President Legal and Compliance Kelly Carter will again adjudicate the debate.
“The success of the diversity debate over the past three years is a testament to the importance of the issues we have tabled, but also the unique perspectives of our gold industry speakers. We have sought to challenge and inspire through the debate, and this year will be no different, as our speakers grapple with the challenges and opportunities presented by new ways of working,” said Ms Carter.
This year’s esteemed line-up features: Holly Keenan - Mining Systems, Standards and Technology Specialist, AngloGold Ashanti Australia; Lisa Rowden - Manager Human Resources, Risk and Sustainability, Ramelius Resources; Jeff Dang - Principal Mining Engineer, Bellevue Gold Limited; and Cliff McKinley - Manager People and Culture, Evolution Mining.
A mining engineer and passionate member of AngloGold Ashanti Australia’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Holly Keenen sees a golden opportunity.
“Flexible work policies are extremely commonplace and any employer not offering it as an employee incentive just simply isn’t competitive. Combine this with an industry-wide skills shortage and I think it’s clear what every company’s position should be on this,” said Ms Keenan.
A gold industry advocate and diversity and inclusion specialist, Lisa Rowden sees a cage with gold bars.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this year’s debate as I have personally and professionally experienced flexibility in most forms and recognise the limitations that working from home can create, as well as the challenges in effective implementation and application across our industry,” said Ms Rowden.
A mining engineer and diversity champion at Bellevue Gold, Jeff Dang sees a golden opportunity.
“My flexible working arrangement has allowed me to participate in events for my children that I would historically have missed out on. This not only benefits my family but also the wider community,” said Mr Dang.
A marathon runner and human resources professional, Cliff McKinley sees a cage with gold bars.
“Human beings are naturally social, inquisitive creatures with amazing potential. Formalising and institutionalising working from home is unnatural, limiting and will have long term negative effects. We will not do well if forced to live the life of an albatross in a budgie cage,” said Mr McKinley.
Since the inaugural event in 2016, the debate has quickly become one of the most influential diversity events on Australia’s mining calendar and is expected to attract more than 300 people to The Perth Mint this Friday night.
In conjunction with Women in Mining and Resources WA, the annual debate dissects and promotes diversity, challenges perceptions and opens new doors in its unique and thought-provoking format.
Due to the ever-changing COVID-19 situation across the nation, the event will only be held in Perth this year.
View photos from previous years.