We already have some people doing various elements of the courses. been two women from [a specific just gone and There’s category] who’ve done that, so hoping to catch them and interview them and talk about I’m their experiences, how they were treated, what worked, what what didn’t, they experienced, how we can make it better.147 This planning and continual improvement directly supports the recommendation and will assist in ensuring that these environments are supportive and conducive to effective mixed gender performance. Army has also provided examples of individual management for women transferring into combat categories. Air Force has advised that the Air Force Workforce Diversity team will work closely with commanders of units that women will enter for the first time. The Audit welcomes the commitment by each of the Services to work closely with personnel and to tailor strategies that will work in different environments. However, the Audit also heard that these initiatives may require further work: I am concerned it is not in a suitable format or depth to ensure that [my Service] has sufficiently delivered a cultural change program for the removal of gender restrictions.148 We talk about being diverse and what the female will bring to the organisation. But where it stops. I think we need to it in terms that’s …get of How is this going to improve capability and so forth? Once you why… get that message to [the member] at the bottom, got his male he’s testosterone boiling up, give him something practical and give him something meaningful.149 been basically, I say thrust upon us because we knew it She’s wouldn’t was coming, but been no training direction, briefing to the staff there’s here at all, young or old, on how to deal with that interaction.150 I just think a heads up for the boys on how going to be dealt with, how it’s their daily interactions are going to change, what they have to look for, how to deal with those issues where there been a bit of might’ve inappropriateness…151 These challenges are recognised by the Services and the Audit agrees with the observation noted in COSC Agendum 69 of 13 that:
We already have some people doing various elements of the courses. There’s been two women from [a specific category] who’ve just gone and done that, so I’m hoping to catch them and interview them and talk about their experiences, how they were treated, what worked, what didn’t, what they experienced, how we can make it better.147 This planning and continual improvement directly supports the recommendation and will assist in ensuring that these environments are supportive and conducive to effective mixed gender performance. Army has also provided examples of individual management for women transferring into combat categories. Air Force has advised that the Air Force Workforce Diversity team will work closely with commanders of units that women will enter for the first time. The Audit welcomes the commitment by each of the Services to work closely with personnel and to tailor strategies that will work in different environments. However, the Audit also heard that these initiatives may require further work: I am concerned it is not in a suitable format or depth to ensure that [my Service] has sufficiently delivered a cultural change program for the removal of gender restrictions.148 We talk about being diverse and what the female will bring to the organisation. But that’s where it stops. I think we need to …get it in terms of why… How is this going to improve capability and so forth? Once you get that message to [the member] at the bottom, he’s got his male testosterone boiling up, give him something practical and give him something meaningful.149 She’s been basically, I wouldn’t say thrust upon us because we knew it was coming, but there’s been no training direction, briefing to the staff here at all, young or old, on how to deal with that interaction.150 I just think a heads up for the boys on how it’s going to be dealt with, how their daily interactions are going to change, what they have to look for, how to deal with those issues where there might’ve been a bit of inappropriateness…151 These challenges are recognised by the Services and the Audit agrees with the observation noted in COSC Agendum 69 of 13 that:
adf-audit-2014.docx