Managers within volunteer organisations are renowned for their ability to run operations with incredibly limited resources. Working with both paid staff and volunteers, there is a sense of needing ‘all hands on deck’ within busy community and charity groups. We explore today some of the hidden dangers of unconscious bias and nepotism that can arise […]
The CFA dispute between paid and unpaid volunteers has been a salutary tale for any Australian organisation with a mix of volunteers and paid workers. In many cases, these groups work together in relative harmony. After all, paid staff and volunteers tend to share similar values and goals in these workplaces. But how, when and […]
Most of us agree that volunteer work is an excellent initiative; one of those ‘win-win’ situations where both the organisation and the community benefit from the unpaid work of kind citizens. We also understand that even the best work-related relationships have their challenges. These include issues around workers compensation, clashes between paid and […]
Do you remember the “sneaky nuts” craze? If you do, you can blame the character of Daniel as created and brought to life by Australian comedian Chris Lilley in the mockumentary series Angry Boys. He introduced us to sneaky nuts photo bombs in 2011. For those of you who have no idea what we are […]
We understand that it can seem unfair when the label ‘bully’ crops up in the workplace – particularly when no harm was ever actually intended. We’re all aware of the importance of intent when we look at matters in the criminal space; without identifiable intent, any prosecution team certainly faces an uphill battle. […]
A quarter of Australian bosses are the targets of upward bullying according to a study conducted by Griffith University. Upward bullying occurs when a manager is subjected to bullying behaviour by their subordinates. Recent research presented at the 10th International Conference on Workplace Bullying in Auckland last week presented new research on the dynamics of […]
Imagine this. Alice, new to her workplace, is given a company credit card for expenses such as client entertainment and work-related travel. She notices that other employees use their credit cards to purchase lunch, even when they’re not entertaining clients, and has heard a couple of people saying that they use it to buy petrol […]
Performance Management or Bullying? Finding the Line Being a manager is a tricky business. Not only are you responsible for your team meeting its targets and goals, but you must manage employees with a diverse range of personalities and abilities. It’s often difficult to walk the line between effective management, and risking claims of […]
How you choose to manage a bullying complaint will have a significant effect upon the outcome. It can certainly be difficult to sort through and resolve the issues. Our 5 steps to effective management of bullying complaints will help you to navigate the path. Gather the Basics. Before creating a plan of action, gather the core […]
The Cost of Ignoring Verbal Reports of Sexual Harassment The recent matter of Trolan v WD Gelle Insurance and Finance Brokers is notable for a number of interlinked reasons. Damage and loss caused by the sexual harassment and bullying behaviour in question led to the sizable sum of $733,723 in compensation being awarded to the […]