Building a diverse and inclusive workforce

Why do you think it’s important for us to celebrate Harmony Week???

I think it’s really important to celebrate Harmony Week because the cultural diversity we have here at AEMO Services is one of the things that makes our organisation so successful. So much so, that we’ve enshrined ‘inclusivity’ as one of our organisations core values, which goes on to influence our operations, and business strategy.??

A key diversity statistic in Australia that I find astounding is that since 1945, 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia, which is just under a third of our population, and 51% of Australians have at least one parent that was born overseas. So, I think the success of our organisation, and our nation, hinges largely on the amount of diversity we have, and that’s definitely something worth celebrating.??

Why is diversity so important at AEMO Services, and more broadly, in the energy sector???

If you think about energy, it has a huge footprint in all of our communities. Particularly with the New South Wales Energy Roadmap, AEMO Services is designing and planning changes to an energy system that has remained largely untouched since the 50s. So, I think when we’re taking on a task that big, it’s important that you factor in the diverse range of people that will be impacted by the change, to ensure you’re delivering something that works for them.??

On a more technical level, a lot of the complex challenges we’re tackling here in Australia are often world firsts. So, in order to do that, we really do need the best and brightest minds from around the globe to help solve them. And I’m proud to say we definitely have a lot of them here, making a huge difference to the lives of everyday Australians.??

What can people do to make their workplace more inclusive??

Take a genuine interest in your colleagues. Ask them questions and listen with the desire to learn. Something we recently did at our parent company, AEMO, was encourage employees to share some information on their culture, and culturally significant days. The response we got was excellent, and it was lovely to see how engaged everybody was. I myself learned a lot about new cultures and got a deeper understanding of how cultural experiences shaped my colleagues. This isn’t just a ‘nice to do’ activity – it’s more than that. It’s a chance to deepen your relationships, which we know leads to better collaboration, and better work outcomes. So, in short, be kind, be respectful, and be curious! Your life will be better for it.??

About the interviewee

Michelle Norris, General Manager Corporate Services

Michelle Norris is responsible for AEMO Services’ Corporate Services function.

In this role, Michelle leads all corporate services functions, including recruitment, human resources, finance and business reporting obligations.

Michelle has almost 20 years of senior management experience in Australia’s energy sector and has led the delivery of commercial, policy, regulatory and structural reforms for public and private organisations. Most recently, Michelle led the delivery of gas and electricity retail market reforms for AEMO Services’ parent company, AEMO.

Michelle is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion and has been an active member of AEMO’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Women@AEMO Committees their inception.

About AEMO Services

AEMO Services has been appointed as the NSW Consumer Trustee, giving us a central role in coordinating long-term planning and investment in energy generation, storage and transmission in New South Wales. In our foundational role as the NSW Consumer Trustee, we are helping bring to life the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap by planning and facilitating long-term investment in the network through an ongoing competitive tender process, while monitoring and mitigating financial risks to consumers.

For more information on AEMO Services, visit https://aemoservices.com.au/ or?subscribe here to join our mailing list for updates.

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Important notice:?The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and may not reflect the opinions or views of the Consumer Trustee and will not constrain any discretion the Consumer Trustee may have. This publication is for information purposes only. This publication is not intended to provide any advice or imply any recommendation or opinion constituting advice. This publication may include assumptions about future policy outcomes and generalisations. It may not include important qualifications, details, or legal requirements. AEMO Services does not guarantee the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information contained in this document and (to the maximum extent permitted by law) will not accept responsibility for any loss caused by reliance on it. This document is not a substitute for obtaining professional advice.??