Organisations often express values such as inclusion, respect, and equity. However, living those values consistently in everyday practice is a different challenge. A values gap appears when stated commitments do not match the experience of staff, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
For organisations implementing Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), this gap can harm trust and credibility. Closing it takes more than public statements. It requires thoughtful action, inclusive processes, and alignment between values and operations.
Identify Where Values Fall Short
The first step in addressing a values gap is understanding where it exists. Policy reviews and survey data may give a surface-level view, but they often miss the detail that matters most. Leaders must provide safe opportunities for honest feedback, particularly from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
Standard tools like staff surveys may not capture the full picture. Alternative methods, such as yarning circles, interviews, or cultural safety reviews, can uncover hidden issues, such as feelings of exclusion or pressure to represent culture alone.
A common example is cultural load, where First Nations staff are expected to carry the responsibility of cultural education and representation, often without support or formal recognition. If these experiences are not heard, critical insights are lost.
Foster Psychological Safety Across All Levels
People are more likely to contribute ideas or raise concerns when they feel respected and supported. One important aspect of an inclusive culture is psychological safety—the shared belief that individuals can speak up, ask questions or admit mistakes without fear of judgement or negative consequences.
Leaders play a key role in developing this kind of environment. They can do so by welcoming feedback, acknowledging different viewpoints, and responding calmly to concerns. These actions show that diverse voices are genuinely valued and respected.
Encouraging thoughtful discussion, allowing time for reflection, and creating space for different perspectives helps psychological safety take root. As this culture strengthens, people become more engaged, and the organisation’s values are more clearly reflected in everyday behaviour.
Integrate Lived Experience Through Co-design
When programs are developed without input from the communities they affect, they often fall short. Co-design provides a better alternative by including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from the start of the process, not just during consultation.
This approach also prevents internal staff from being overburdened with cultural responsibilities. While their voices are essential, they should not be expected to lead all inclusion efforts on their own.
Working with cultural experts such as YarnnUp offers a way forward. These partnerships bring facilitation, strategy, and creative methods informed by lived experience. They support stronger, more sustainable outcomes while easing pressure on internal teams.
Align Systems With Organisational Values
Organisational values must guide how decisions are made. This involves reviewing systems such as hiring, procurement, and performance management to ensure they reflect the organisation’s commitment to inclusion.
Inclusive hiring practices and supplier engagement with First Nations businesses demonstrate clear alignment between stated values and business operations. These are practical ways to put values into action.
When leaders are evaluated on inclusion outcomes and systems are updated to remove bias, the result is greater consistency. Inclusion becomes embedded, not an occasional focus.
Establish Governance That Drives Accountability
Long-term change requires structure and leadership. Strong governance ensures that inclusion efforts are properly resourced, reviewed, and adjusted over time. Without this structure, efforts may fade when priorities shift.
Governance should include shared responsibility. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must have genuine influence in decision-making, not just a voice in consultation. Their involvement must be respected and properly supported.
Regular reporting, clear roles, and consistent reflection help maintain progress. When inclusion is treated as ongoing work, not a single event, it becomes part of the organisation’s foundation.
Turning Principles into Practice
Bridging the values gap is not a communications task. It is a commitment to align behaviours, systems, and relationships with the values an organisation claims to uphold.
This process begins by listening, continues through collaboration, and is sustained by accountability. Only then do values shift from being abstract ideas to something people can see, feel, and trust in their everyday experience.