The light is multi-coloured!

Today, Tues 7th March, sees the second of our short articles on the amazing women in our midst at work - leveraging the opportunity of #internationalwomensday2023 ... Meet Pooja Dhaga (nee Patel), Client Services Manager, Harness Energy

Pooja has been in Australia for 15 years and brings such a positive message about how inclusivity and gender diversity in the workplace has improved over this time. It is valuable to celebrate the progress that has been achieved and Pooja is an example of just how much.

Pooja hails from the western area of India and came to Australia with a Masters Degree under her belt and her then husband. She has a close relationship with her extensive family who have members living not just in India, but the US and UK too. The prospect of moving to Australia was exciting as it presented an opportunity to go somewhere different and travel a path not so well trodden.?

She indicated suffering a bit of culture shock after coming from a culture that places a super-high value not just on its english-origin education system but also on the professional status of teachers; Pooja’s then career. Given this background, it was assumed that she would be snapped up on her arrival in Australia. But, it actually took 3 years to achieve her first professional role - one that actually came about through a contact. Pooja recalls?situations from when she first arrived where where even walking down the street she was viewed with curiosity through to feeling substantial pressure to return to work after the birth of children.

For gender and cultural diversity, it may not be surprising this was the situation for Pooja and? many others during the early part of 2000’s.? Now, in 2023, Pooja is heartened by just how far things have changed in the last 10 plus years. Some of the examples she highlighted include

• The high visibility of diversity of genders, LGBTI, cultures and countries of origin in workplaces and public spaces?
• Strong messages about how a multi-cultural approach both being adopted and enriching organisations - including Harness
• Professional acceptance - irrespective of background - is now much less an issue than when she arrived in the country
• Ability to be herself and bring her own cultural richness to work knowing that it will be welcomed

As she looks back, considers #internationalwomensday and the future she finished with this lovely comment, “While I recognise there is still work to be done in workplaces to fully benefit from the value that gender and cultural diversity bring, I see there is light because we have come such a long way already. The future is positive and multi-coloured!” Pooja D.