Lauren Wilkerson

In this seven-minute podcast recorded at Waitangi Park during Wellington's Pride Festival in 2018, an individual from Mercer New Zealand discusses the concept of financial wellness within rainbow LGBTI communities. Throughout the event, which marks the beginning of a two-week celebration, the Mercer KiwiSaver booth offers advice on savings and raises awareness about financial wellness and retirement planning, particularly among young people.

The conversation highlights research released by Mercer regarding the ageing rainbow community members, pointing out distinct financial challenges faced by this group. The research indicates that older individuals in the community are often less likely to have children or a partner in the later stages of life, which can lead to financial struggles when there's no one to grow old with. This issue also extends to entering care homes, where there’s a need for environments that allow for gender-affirming care and the ability for residents to express their true identities without being forced into discomfort, such as wearing the wrong clothing.

Mercer illustrates its commitment to the rainbow community by obtaining the Rainbow Tick certification. This mark of distinction reflects the company's efforts to identify and fill gaps in its policy to support its employees, such as the implementation of transitioning guidelines in the workplace for individuals undergoing gender transition, and inclusive parental leave policies for different family structures. The Rainbow Tick represents a symbol of diversity and inclusiveness beyond simple labelling, denoting Mercer as an active part of a collective that shares ideas and practices to support the rainbow community.

The individual from Mercer emphasizes the significance of diversity in the workplace and the company's desire to attract diverse talent. They discuss strategies to increase visibility and inclusivity, such as participating in various pride events internationally, showcasing that the company values diversity in business. A key principle highlighted is the encouragement for employees to bring their whole selves to work, fostering a supportive environment for personal and professional well-being.

Moreover, there is a personal reflection on the meaning of engaging with the pride event. The representative emphasizes the importance of providing financial education and wellness advice, especially to younger members of the LGBTI community who may lack guidance from family or traditional structures.

For those unable to attend the event, the representative extends a message of solidarity, offering access to financial services and advice through Mercer's online resources, and reassuring that there is a supportive global community ready to accept and support individuals facing challenges in coming to terms with their identity.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Lauren Wilkerson

2010s, aged care, ageing, ageing workforce, aotearoa new zealand, australia, diversity, finances, financial wellness, gender equality, gender transition in the workplace, hikoi to out in the park, kiwisaver, lauren wilkerson, melbourne, mental health, mercer new zealand, mercerfinancialservices.co.nz, midsumma festival (melbourne), out in the park (wellington), rainbow tick, rest homes, retirement, sydney mardi gras, transition, waitangi park, wellington, youth

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