Employers often face a quandary in dealing with underperformers, and whether to place them onto a performance management program. It’s essential that any such move can always be considered to be ‘reasonable management action’ in response to inappropriate behaviours or inadequate or unsatisfactory performance, and not simply a way of bullying an employee. Let’s take […]
Bullying is the scourge of many workplaces. There are few things which destroy office morale, tear apart team cohesion or cause good staff to leave as quickly as victimisation and harassment in the workplace. Interestingly, research has identified 22 different types of bullying conduct which might be encountered in the average workplace. We outline […]
Mediation can offer effective resolution of workplace disputes. It’s a fair process that allows parties to be heard and encourages them to find a resolution both sides are satisfied with. Mediation should only be used when parties are willing to discuss their differences. In the case of a bullying complaint, an investigation is required […]
A suite of robust policies and procedures is an essential element of good governance in any organisation. Often employers discover that their policies and procedures are inadequate, only once their actions are reviewed by a tribunal or court. Adequate workplace policies are key mechanisms for outlining exactly what the standards of conduct are in […]
Organisations are no doubt aware of the need to comply with anti-discrimination legislation, but actively encouraging cultural diversity in the workplace is becoming increasingly important – it can offer potential benefits far beyond simple compliance with the law. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits, and how organisations can manage cultural diversity. […]
It seems that as 2017 gathered steam, more and more brave survivors of sexual harassment in the workplace gained the courage to name their alleged harassers. From Hollywood bigwigs and actors to Australian TV personalities; it seems that a vast array of perpetrators and inappropriate actions within the entertainment industry have finally come to […]
Staff who are subject to increased employer supervision or performance management may feel that they are being personally victimised, attacked or even bullied. It may be difficult to distinguish between reasonable performance management and bullying, especially when the worker involved is sensitive by nature, has personal stress factors, fails to acknowledge their own performance […]
Feedback from employees is crucial to employers wanting to keep their finger on the pulse of a business. It is essential for management to be aware of risky behaviours occurring within a workplace, such as bullying, circumstances giving rise to easily preventable worker’s compensation claims, failure to comply with regulations, corruption, or even criminal […]
Workplace bullying is somewhat of a scourge in modern society. Broadly categorised by Reach Out Australia as any behaviour which is physically, mentally or socially threatening and takes place in the employment context, it can have an enormous impact on staff effectiveness, employee retention, the number and type of worker’s compensation claims and, of course, […]
Across all Australian workplaces the phenomenon of bullying is without doubt a front-and-centre topic. And as a result, overt instances of bullying in the workplace now tend to be more readily identified than ever before. One challenging idea for all concerned however is this; is it possible that management action that is entirely reasonable could […]