Inclusion@Work

ASDA National Committee member and Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, Eleanor Ingram shares more on this important week.

Inclusion@Work Week reminds us that inclusion isn’t just about who we hire, it’s about who can stay, contribute, and thrive. 

As Australia’s space sector is rapidly growing – its an exciting time, but its workplace experiences aren’t keeping pace. 

During the Diversity Council of Australia’s Inclusion@Work Week, we’re reminded that inclusion doesn’t happen simply because talent enters the door, it happens when organisations proactively work to remove the structural barriers that prevent people from fully participating. 

As our recent findings show, the space sector is rich in talent and diverse representation, yet still defined by exclusionary cultures, leadership-driven discrimination, preventing inclusion and creating risk. 

And one of the clearest structural barriers emerging? Restrictions on flexible and remote work. 

Why this matters

•  51% of space workers have caring responsibilities — far higher than the national average (39%).

• 18.5% identify as having a disability, flexibility is a core accessibility requirement.

When organisations limit flexible options, they unintentionally limit who can fully participate. Women, carers, neurodivergent professionals, people with disability and LGBTIQ+ workers are the most impacted. A lack of flexible options contributes to higher turnover, reduced tenure, and lower job satisfaction.

DCA data shows that workers in inclusive teams are:

• 14 x more likely to be satisfied

• 8.7 x more likely to innovate

• 7.6 x less likely to leave

Within Australia, flexible work is one of the most powerful inclusion levers employers have and right now, many aren’t using it. In fact, many are limiting employees access to it. This is a legal reminder that employers cannot rely on blanket office return policies without individualised assessment, and ensuring procedural obligations are followed and aligned to the Fair Work Act 2009 for responding to flexible work requests. 

For a sector built on solving complex problems and retaining highly specialised talent, flexibility isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a competitive advantage. 

What can organisations do?

✔ Create transparent criteria for flexible/remote/hybrid work

✔ Integrate accessibility and caring responsibilities into workforce planning

✔ Strengthen inclusive leadership capability and accountability

✔ Join ASDA’s Industry Inclusion Commitment to benchmark and accelerate progress  

Australia is at a critical juncture as an emerging space nation. We have the chance to design a sector where diversity is matched with psychological safety, accessibility, and truly inclusive cultures. 

If we restrict flexibility, we restrict participation.

If we enable it, we unlock the full potential of our space workforce. 

Let’s choose to build a sector where everyone can contribute to Australia’s space future.