A Muslim and a Buddhist share a prayer room in a Waitangi hotel during an Interfaith conference. Photo / NZ Herald
A Muslim and a Buddhist share a prayer room in a Waitangi hotel during an Interfaith conference. Photo / NZ Herald
New Zealand is undergoing a slow religious transformation, highlighting added challenges and opportunities in the management of our workforce.
According to the 2013 Census, the percentage of New Zealanders who identify as Christian has decreased to under 50 per cent, while minority religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam areincreasing.
Compared with the 2006 Census, the number of New Zealanders affiliated with the Sikh religion has more than doubled -- 19,191 are now so affiliated compared with 9507 in 2006.
The number affiliated with Hinduism has increased from 64,392 in 2006 to 89,919 in 2013. Those following the Muslim faith increased from 36,072 in 2006 to 46,149 in 2013.
In light of the changing landscape of New Zealand religiosity, the needs of the country's workforce are inevitably changing too.
Professor Edwina Pio is AUT University's resident Professor of Diversity. She recently authored a book on the role of worship in the workplace, particularly concerning the worship of minority religions.
"Work and Worship presents the privileges and obligations of working with a diverse workforce which organisations worldwide as well as in New Zealand have to contend with," she says. "What is shared by all these religious groups is a commitment to New Zealand and to live and work in a manner that respects the country, while also adhering to one's personal faith."
The Equal Employment Opportunity Trust conducts research focusing on the state of New Zealand's workplace diversity efforts and holds yearly award presentations for those organisations who have particularly excelled in the area.
Mt Albert's Pak 'n Save won the Equal Employment Opportunity Trust Manaaki Tangata Innovation Award in 2005 for its efforts in recognising the ethnic and religious diversity in its workforce.
Over half of their employees were born overseas, and they pride themselves on their levels of retention.
They make workplace training available in the native language of the trainee, they acknowledge cultural holidays and traditions, and they established a prayer room for their team's Muslim population.
"There's been great progress, but bias still plays a part for employers, particularly when hiring," says Bev Cassidy-Mackenzie, CEO of the Equal Employment Opportunity Trust. "Anything from passing over a non-English sounding name to not having those policies in place is a missed opportunity for employers."
