The thought that some of the most vulnerable in our society – the elderly – might be at risk of harm in residential aged care facilities is abhorrent. But even with the best of intentions and the proper guidelines in place, there is still potential for abuse and assault to occur. Abuse allegations 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 […]
At a time when workers increasingly work remotely, communicate online or use hot desks, the annual staff Christmas party is a valuable opportunity to get everyone interacting face to face. A Christmas party is also a good way of getting staff who rarely see one another during the working week to meet, to reward […]
When we think of bullying, the clichés of schoolyard taunts might spring to mind. Yet as we learn more about the wide-ranging techniques of bullying, it is clear that this deeply complex phenomenon can be hard to pin down. For example, being ignored, or made an outcast in any situation – ‘sent to […]
Maintaining professional distance in the workplace can be challenging at the best of times. There is a very fine line between managing interpersonal relationships, ensuring that colleagues and co-workers get along with each other, and developing such close relationships that potential conflicts of interest or social problems arise. This juggle has become even more […]
The matter of Matthew v Winslow Constructions Pty Ltd brings to light the importance of duty of care in a sexual harassment matter. The Supreme Court of Victoria has awarded an employee over $1.3 million in damages after finding that her employer was negligent in failing to provide a safe working environment and allowing her to […]
We’re all guilty of it: we ask a question that we don’t really expect to be answered in full. We’ve been socialised to do this; “how’s it going?” really means “I see you.” The usual answer “good” completes the interaction, but often isn’t even true! Investigators have to learn to listen. And listening well means […]
Secret Santa, also known as Kris Kringle, is a gift-giving tradition celebrated by workplaces all over Australia. Although popular, it also has the potential to go wrong. Following on from our article on hosting incident-free work Christmas parties, we take a look at the potential risks of the office Secret Santa, and what preventative […]
The office Christmas party. It’s an institution here in Australia, and most employees expect some kind of celebration. It’s only fair, too, given the hard work they’ve put in over the year. But increasingly, office parties have become legal minefields. The good news is that there are measures organisations can take to safeguard their staff, as […]