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Repair work relationships + restore team harmony Fractured workplace relationships and team tensions are often signs of workplace conflict. The underlying causes could range from pent up disagreements to serious incidents like bullying, sexual harassment or some other breach of the organisation’s code of conduct. There are several tools and strategies that organisations should have in their conflict resolution tool-belt. For example: Cultural Reviews allow senior management and the board to take a broad sweeping, proactive approach by identifying and mitigating any potential red flags and highlighting any concerns or common themes that may need to be addressed. Workplace Investigations should be used whenever a manager becomes aware of a serious complaint or allegation. Workplace investigations must be conducted professionally from interview stage through to the final report. Outsourcing the task to an independent workplace investigator is often the best port of call. Mediation creates a safe space for individuals involved in workplace conflict to delve into the deeper issues and navigate towards a resolution. An experienced mediator can objectively identify where relationships have an undercurrent, or when particular issues need to be discussed. Facilitated Group Discussions are particularly useful when there are issues or underlying conflict within a team of employees. Restorative Practice is a communication strategy that can be used to repair damaged workplace relationships and restore harmony within teams. Are you familiar with Restorative Practice? The concept of restorative practice comes from criminal justice principle of restorative justice, which switches the focus from the actions of the offender to the harm caused by their actions.1 The focus is not on punishment but providing an opportunity for the offender to understand the harm and make things right.2 WorkPlacePLUS uses restorative practice and reparative communication strategies as tools to assist organisations with supporting appropriate workplace behaviours, minimising inappropriate behaviours, rebuilding team trust, fostering a culture of healing when issues occur, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. As a communication-based approach to resolving workplace conflict, restorative practice can be applied at various stages across a range of workplace processes, such as in the day-to-day managing and mentoring of staff, in direct unmediated conversations between individuals, during a performance management discussion, during a facilitated group discussion, after a workplace cultural review, after a workplace investigation, and after a formal mediation session. It’s important to note that restorative practice is only appropriate in certain circumstances, as you do not want such conversations to do harm. For instance, if it has been substantiated that an employee has engaged in bullying behaviour and they are still working with the victim, restorative practice may not be suitable. WorkPlacePLUS can talk you through your options for conflict resolution and help you ensure you are using the appropriate tools and processes at the right times. If restorative practice is a suitable choice for the issue at hand, rest assured that the team at WorkPlacePLUS has the skills and experience to successfully facilitate reparative discussions. For more information, please contact us today. 1 Howard Zehr ‘Community Justice: The Historical Alternative’ in Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice (1999). 2 Howard Zehr The Little Book of Restorative Justice 23, 24.

Under the Fair Work Act 2009 , employees (including regular casual employees) who have worked with their employer for at least 12 months can take unpaid parental leave when they or their partner are to give birth or adopt a child, or if they experience stillbirth premature birth, or the death of a child. Employers should be careful when denying requests for extension to unpaid parental leave as employees now have more legal recourse. Effective 6 June 2023, under the Secure Jobs Better Pay Act 2022, there are changes to how employers need to respond to requests for extending unpaid parental leave. Any employee whose requests have been refused can seek arbitration of a dispute by the Fair work Commission. Employers should update their workplace policies around requesting an extension to unpaid parental leave. In addition, be aware that if you ignore a flexible work request for 21 days, you could face the Fair work Commission. -- Effective 1 July 2023, under the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Improvements for Families and Gender Equality) Act 2023, Parental Leave Pay and Dad and Partner Pay will be combined into one scheme which will provide eligible parent couples or single parents up to 20 weeks of Parental Leave Pay at the National Minimum Wage. -- On 26 November 2020, the Fair Work Act 2009 was amended to include new unpaid parental leave entitlements for employees who experience traumatic events during or ahead of their unpaid parental leave. This includes: stillbirth premature birth, or death of a child. The changes also enable all eligible parents to access up to 30 days of their unpaid parental leave flexibly, complementing similar changes that were made to the Paid Parental Leave scheme in July 2020. These changes to unpaid parental leave came into effect on 27 November 2020. This means these provisions only apply to a child who is born, or whose placement happens, on or after 27 November 2020. Read more about parental leave on the Fair Work website > The article below on Changes to Victorian Long Service Leave was published 13 June 2018 The Victorian Government has announced that key changes to long service leave entitlements will go into effect on 1st November 2018. Under the new Long Service Leave Act 2018 (VIC) the minimum requirement of continuous employment to be eligible for long service leave has been reduced from ten years to seven years, and employees will be entitled to take their leave one day at a time. A significant change in the Act will benefit parents, particularly women, who are currently disadvantaged by taking parental leave, thereby breaking continuity of employment. Under the new Long Service Leave Act 2018 (VIC), any period of paid parental leave and up to 12 months’ of unpaid parental leave will count as service, and no amount of parental leave will break continuity of service. Employers who fail to pay long service leave will also face increased penalties. It is important that employers audit their long service leave records, update their payroll systems and train their managers to comply with these legislative changes. For more information, please contact us today.

Best practice for new employees is to induct them into your organisation and provide them with a copy of your workplace policies and procedures. Workplace policies and procedures guide various aspects of the business, outlining clear expectations and providing a consistent approach to managing workplace issues. The must-have policies for your workplace are: Code of Conduct a.k.a. “Code of Conduct & Ethics” or Appropriate Workplace Conduct Policy Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Policy, highlighting any potential workplace risks or hazards. Anti-Discrimination Policy, promoting equal employment opportunity. Privacy Policy, regarding the protection or disclosure of an employee’s personal details. Leave Policy, outlining the guidelines and requirements for accessing leave entitlements. Complaints & Grievances Policy, with options for conflict resolution and employee assistance. Performance Management Policy, outlining the process for performance management, counselling and discipline of employees. IT and Social Media Policy, appropriate use of tech and online platforms WHS Your WHS Policy will be an umbrella for several essential policies, such as: Bullying & Harassment Policy, including sexual harassment. Family & Domestic Violence Policy, including how you will respond to disclosure. Mentally Healthy Workplace Policy, promoting employee wellbeing and providing support. Pandemic Policy, preventing and responding to an outbreak, including infection control. Building Evacuation Policy, including your safety procedure for an emergency evacuation. Mandatory Reporting, notifying the WHS regulator in your jurisdiction of certain health and safety incidents. Anti-Discrimination Disability Access and Inclusion Policy, promoting equal opportunity for people with disabilities. Diversity Policy, promoting gender parity and cultural diversity. Some policies such as Family & Domestic Violence and Appropriate use of IT and Social Media could fall under both WHS and Anti-Discrimination policies. Are your policies relevant and appropriate to your particular workplace? You should regularly review your policies and procedures to ensure compliance with current employment legislation. Your policies also need to reflect your unique workplace culture. For example, some workplaces may choose to include policies around Workplace Fatigue, LGBTI Inclusion, Vaccination, Working from Home, Sustainability, Smoking, Alcohol & Drugs and/or Use of Company Property. As your workplace culture evolves, your HR policies should follow suit. Checklists & Information Sheets To ensure procedural compliance, HR managers should implement checklists. For example: Recruitment checklists Probation checklist Onboarding checklist Termination checklist Pandemic prevention and response checklist Industry-specific checklists (e.g. Aged Care Quality & Safety Standards) Managers also need to provide staff with information, such as an employee handbook including policies, procedures and additional resources. For example: Equal Employment Opportunity Employee Assistance Program Hygiene & Infection Control WHS for Remote Employees Don’t assume that your managers and staff already know the policies and procedures Any time that you review and update your policies and procedures, make sure that all employees understand the changes. Running a refresher training or info session is the best way to ensure that your staff are well informed. WorkPlacePLUS can develop or review your policies and procedures, ensuring that all protocols reflect your unique workplace culture and comply with current regulations. We can also educate your staff on important updates and help to address any questions or concerns they may have. Read about the Essential HR Toolkit > For more information, please contact us today.

Employee health and safety can be impacted by a range of potential workplace stress factors, such as high workload, poor environmental conditions, poor workplace relationships or exposure to violence, bullying or harassment, to name just a few. In addition to implementing control measures such as workplace policies, risk assessments and training, it is best practice for employers to offer their staff a variety of support resources, such as an employee assistance program (EAP) and a peer support worker or contact officer. Contact officers are people within a workplace who, in addition to their normal job, provide employees with confidential information, options and resources in relation to a workplace issue. Contact officers are a useful resource as they provide employees with immediate access to a confidential, in-house source of information and support. For some employees, it is important to have someone neutral at work to confide in. Did you know?... ➤ FDV experts reported an escalation of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. ➤ The Fair Work Act provides minimum legal entitlements for employees experiencing FDV. Learn more > Contact officers are often the first port of call for staff experiencing bullying, harassment, discrimination or family and domestic violence (FDV). The contact officer’s role is NOT to give advice but rather to listen, know the relevant workplace policies and legislation, help the employee understand their options, and know when to escalate an issue to a senior manager or external service. It is not only important that contact officers feel confident in how to safety and confidentially support their peers, but also that they stay current with employment-based legislation and organisational policies that affect the scope and parameters of their role. WorkPlacePLUS provides a number of professional development programs to ensure that contact officers or staff acting in peer support positions have the required skills, knowledge and confidence to fulfil the function of their roles. FDV CONTACT OFFICER TRAINING equips your contact officers with an understanding of how to identify and respond to signs of FDV in the workplace, and how to establish appropriate support. Included in this training program is a review of the relevant legal considerations and workplace protocols, and research-based guidance and strategies from the Victorian Government’s MARAM Framework. CONTACT OFFICER REFRESHER TRAINING provides participants with a current overview of the issues of bullying, harassment, discrimination and family and domestic violence (FDV) in the workplace. Included in this training program is a review of the relevant legal considerations and workplace protocols, and a range of research-based guidance and strategies. As a foundation for new peer support workers and suitable for all staff, RESPECT & RESPONSIBILITY IN THE WORKPLACE is tailored to go beyond the usual bullying, harassment and discrimination session by promoting your organisational values, effective communication and a positive workplace culture, while providing an understanding of relevant legislation and organisational policies. For more information, please contact us today. ► Discover more training programs... >

3 best practice tips for managers Monitoring and maintaining your workplace culture is a key to mitigating organisational risk. Workplace culture can be understood as the norms of your workplace – the ways things are done. This is reflected and reinforced by a range of factors such as organisational protocols, work design, branding, and the behaviours, communication patterns and underlying assumptions of the leadership and staff. A robust work culture helps to protect employee wellbeing and drives staff engagement and performance. Conversely, if cracks begin to form and are not promptly addressed, the damages can be costly and the culture can become toxic. Low productivity, high staff turnover, work injuries, complaints and claims are a few examples of the potential fallout. Read Toxic workplaces | This Working Life, ABC RN + listen to the podcast > Read Poor performance or poor behaviour? | Best Practice, ABC RN + listen to the podcast > Managers and supervisors play crucial role in the day-to-day maintenance of the culture, which requires an in-depth understanding of the organisational values and policies, managing the employee lifecycle, providing employees with training, and protecting employee mental health and wellbeing. Practicing clear, regular communication sits at the core of a manager or supervisor being effective in their role. Here are three best practice tips for managers: 1. Set clear expectations Workplace conflict can be caused by miscommunication, such as unclear roles and expectations, differences in values, goals or communication styles and conflicting priorities. Managers should set clear expectations from day one of employment, and follow up with regular check-ins to discuss achievements, areas for improvement, future objectives any feedback or concerns. The organisation’s process for reviewing performance should be outlined in your performance management policy. 2. Reinforce the organisational policies Workplace policies and procedures help shape the work culture by outlining clear expectations and providing a consistent approach to managing workplace issues. Best practice for new employees is to induct them into your organisation and provide them with a copy of your workplace policies and procedures. But how often do you reinforce the rules? Don’t assume that your staff remember or understand the organisational policies. It is important to provide opportunities for review, especially when changes or updates are implemented. Running a refresher training or info session is the best way to ensure that your staff are well informed. Read The must-have policies for your workplace > 3. Respond promptly to feedback, concerns or complaints Serious workplace issues such as claims of bullying, harassment or misconduct should always take urgent priority for a manager, from the moment you become aware of the alleged issue. Not only are you legally obliged to respond, your employees expect you to put their safety first and take their feedback seriously. When investigating complaints and grievances, it is important to follow procedural fairness, which is this ethical, best practice way of handling workplace conflict. This process includes taking complaints seriously, responding in a timely manner, conducting a fair and confidential workplace investigation, following a communication plan to discuss the matter, giving the parties involved plenty of notice and time to prepare and respond, offering the parties the option to bring a support person, and providing a timeframe for any decisions or further action. Before commencing a workplace investigation, management should consider who internally will conduct the investigation, whether they have the right skills and experience, and whether there are any internal bias which could affect the way the investigation is conducted. As an alternative, hiring an independent workplace investigator may be the most suitable option for some employers. Read How to handle a grievance at work | Best Practice, ABC RN + listen to the podcast > To gain insight on any red flags in the culture, some employers will engage an experienced HR advisor to facilitate a review of the cultural climate. This is a proactive process that helps shed light on the values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours shared by the people in your workplace, and provides a safe outlet for them to reveal any tensions or concerns. With this information, employers can consider their options for improving the culture. For more information and tailored support, please contact us today.

Workplace misconduct is a critical issue in Australian workplaces. Bullying complaints. Stalking allegations. Complaints about a colleague’s offensive behaviour. These are common examples of the kinds of issues WorkPlacePLUS investigates on behalf of our clients and their employees. Read 6 work issues requiring an external investigation > Serious workplace incidents or allegations require a prompt response by the employer. This means not only conducting a fair and confidential workplace investigation, but also following a communication plan to discuss the matter with the parties involved, and providing a timeframe for any decisions or potential action. Whenever a manager receives a verbal or formal written complaint, there is a range of thought processes, lines of questioning, evidence and facts that need to be collected. From the moment a grievance or complaint is received, two critical steps must be taken: Critical Step #1 – Document Everything! Many people undertake a preliminary investigation without even realising it, and consequently do not document this crucial information. The initial discussions had with the complainant and respondent become the foundation for understanding the heart of the matter. Documenting these discussions enables the person who is investigating, whether they are an internal or independent party, to establish the allegations and to resolve the issues in an efficient manner. Critical Step #2 – Decide: Do you need an independent workplace investigator? Whether an investigation is conducted internally or externally, it must adhere to natural justice principles, confidentiality, rules of evidence, legal and policy compliance, and health and safety regulations. These standards help to ensure a fair and equitable process for all and allow an organisation to respond with the appropriate action. Conducting an investigation internally will have some advantages – the internal investigator (Staff Member) understands the unique culture of the organisation, knows the parties involved, and is in an appropriate role to make recommendations and implement decisions. However, internal workplace investigations are prone to accusations of lack procedural fairness, transparency or perceived conflict of interest. 5 reasons to hire an independent workplace investigator: Lack of sufficient internal resources. If your organisation does not have staff who are trained in conducting investigations, or if you cannot afford to redirect limited internal resources away from their day-to-day operations, a poorly-planned investigation could expose you to a number of risks. Objectivity. Your internal investigator (e.g.HR person) may feel uncomfortable or unable to undertake the investigation process objectively. Engaging an independent workplace investigator is critical when there is a risk that an internal investigator may be biased, or perceived to be biased. Efficiency. Resolving a complaint requires prompt action. An independent workplace investigator will ensure the management of the process within the appropriate time frames, the minimising of poor staff morale, the health and wellbeing of the parties involved, and the protection of your organisation’s reputation and/or expense. Serious allegations. If there is a complaint against a member of staff, or a serious allegation that may require organisational culture and operating frameworks to be considered, an independent investigator has the capacity to bring a fresh perspective to the situation and offer change management support. Third party legal requirements. Certain complaints and grievances have the potential to lead to litigation or involve third party intervention, e.g. allegations of discrimination and potential workers’ compensation claims such as bullying or harassment. Third parties such as insurers and unions may require an organisation to hire an independent workplace investigator. Workplace investigations must be conducted professionally from interview stage through to the final report. This strengthens the findings, in case they are challenged by the staff member, union or court system. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s Set the Standards report confirms that independent, unbiased systems of reporting and investigating incidents are key to fostering a respectful workplace. WorkPlacePLUS has a qualified team of consultants with extensive experience in conducting unbiased evidence-based workplace investigations. We can ensure your compliance with the Fair Work Act 2009 and Work, Health & Safety regulations while you continue to focus on your day-to-day operations. Our consultants are trained private investigators and experts in remaining focused and sensitive throughout the entire process. We can even assist in restoring team harmony and productivity after the investigation. For more information, please contact us today.

Culture counts in your workplace A tense or toxic workplace culture puts your organisation and people at risk and often results in: costly mistakes low productivity high staff turnover complaints and grievances health and safety incidents compliance notices from the Fair Work Ombudsman or your industry regulator Attending to the workplace culture should be an integral part of every organisation’s risk management plan, and the board should be regularly updated on all key risks so that they can fulfil their directors’ responsibilities. Are you soliciting feedback from your employees? Workplace cultural reviews are a great tool for measuring staff engagement and assessing an organisation’s cultural climate. The review process allows senior management and the board to proactively identify and mitigate any potential red flags or highlight any common themes that may need to be addressed. Regular cultural reviews can be the catalyst for constructive workplace change and the advancement of workplace relationships, staff engagement, productivity, safety, and performance. WorkPlacePLUS has a qualified team of consultants with extensive experience facilitating cultural reviews and providing organisations an objective perspective of the team culture. There are several ways to conduct a cultural review. WorkPlacePLUS offers a range of delivery options: Online surveys - A practical way to canvas a large group of employees. The subject matter of the review is tailored to your needs. For example, some clients may want to broadly gauge staff engagement, whereas others may want to solicit feedback on specific matters, such as the introduction of new systems or processes. Stay interviews - Confidential 1:1 discussions designed to understand what motivates your employees to come to work each day, how they are supported in performing their roles, and how you can continue to retain them as valued members of the team. Exit interviews - Confidential 1:1 discussions with a staff member who is exiting the organisation, designed to encourage feedback on their experience working in your organisation and their reasons for leaving. It is also their opportunity to raise any organisational issues which contributed to them making the move. Consultations for workplace change – Employee surveys and interviews can be used to facilitate the consultation process of your change management strategy by soliciting feedback on specific workplace matters or projects. Hybrid formats – We can conduct your review using a combination of online survey and 1:1 interview. Each carefully controlled review delivered by WorkPlacePLUS allows employees to provide crucial feedback in a safe and confidential setting, helping to uncover any trends, hotspots or feedback which may need to be considered. WorkPlacePLUS can then support the board and leadership team to identify and implement opportunities for improvement resulting from the cultural review. Employers can also consider a Respect@Work + Psychological Safety Risk Assessment - This is a formal, consultative WHS risk management approach to assessing your workplace culture, based on current employment legislation and best practice WHS strategies. For more information, please contact us today.

Compliance Alert Overpaying or underpaying your staff puts your business at risk. It’s important for employers to know how to prevent and remedy the overpayment or underpayment of staff. Overpayment Overpayments can happen when an employer misinterprets the employee’s entitlements, or because of a payroll error. According to the Australian Payroll Association, overpayments are almost as common as underpayments. The Fair Work Ombudsman advises that employers can’t take money out of an employee’s pay to fix an overpayment. Instead, the employer and employee should discuss and agree on a repayment arrangement and put this in writing. If the repayment can’t be agreed on, the employer should seek professional advice. The process for fixing an overpayment is: 1. Work out how long the employee was overpaid 2. Work out how much the employee was paid and what they were entitled to be paid 3. Calculate how much the employee has been overpaid 4. Discuss with the employee and confirm repayment arrangements. 5. Implement the agreed arrangement and make any adjustments in the payroll that are required. A deduction can only be made to get back an overpayment if it’s allowed under a registered agreement (and the employee agrees to it), award, legislation or a court or Fair Work Commission order. Employers should check the award or agreement to find out when deductions can be made. Underpayment Employees must be paid at least their minimum pay rates and entitlements. Like overpayments, underpayments often happen because of a mistake or payroll error. Employers who fail to fix the errors promptly and prevent them from recurring face serious penalties. Wage theft is now a criminal offence in Victoria and Queensland, with calls for other states and territories to also introduce similar offences for systemic and deliberate wage theft. The process for fixing an underpayment is: 1. Work out how long the employee was underpaid 2. Work out how much the employee was paid and what they were entitled to be paid 3. Calculate how much the employee has been underpaid 4. Discuss with the employee and confirm back payment arrangements 5. Make any adjustments in the payroll that are required. 6. Keep up to date with future wage increases. The end of financial year and the end of calendar year are optimal times to review your HR systems and processes to ensure you are paying your staff correctly. This can include checking new pay rates and superannuation requirements, reviewing employment contracts and agreements, and auditing your payroll transactions. For more information or tailored support, please contact us today.

This article provides employers with information on: 1. Victoria’s new Child Safe Standards 2. Healthcare Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment 3. Changes to Victoria’s Pandemic Orders 4. WorkSafe compliance updates and reminders Victoria’s New Child Safe Standards Changes have been made to Victoria’s Child Safe Standards (“Standards”). The new Standards come into effect from 1 July 2022 and set out minimum requirements and outline the actions organisations must take to keep children and young people safe in Victoria. Most organisations that work or volunteer with children and young people are required to comply with the new Standards, for example: Hospitals, health services, drug or alcohol treatment services, mental health services and other support services Organisations that provide disability services including both organisations that are, and are not, disability service providers within the meaning Disability Act 2006 Out of home care services, child protection services, family violence or sexual assault services, housing services and homeless services Organisations that provide early therapeutic intervention specifically for children with a disability, additional needs or developmental delay Youth services, support services for parents and families Youth organisations, religious bodies Victorian government departments, local councils, organisations created by legislation that have functions of a public nature Transport services specifically for children Charities and not-for-profit organisations Organisations that employ a child and that are required to hold a permit issued under the Child Employment Act 2003 for that employment Many others… view full list > Employers should review and update policies, practices and organisational culture to ensure that they meet the new Standards. Healthcare Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment To recognise public healthcare workers, the Victorian Government is providing a one-off Healthcare Worker Winter Retention and Surge Payment to clinical and non-clinical healthcare staff, with additional support being offered to those who work night shifts. All staff employed in public health services, and Ambulance Victoria will be eligible for a payment of $3,000. Part time, casual and new staff employed on or after 1 July, who are still employed on 30 September 2022, are eligible for a pro-rata equivalent of the payment. Payment will occur over two pay periods, 15 August and 30 September, with more detail to be communicated by services in the lead-up. From 1 July to 31 December, the Healthcare Worker Wellbeing program will also expand to provide free meals and refreshments to staff working night shift. To tailor to individual needs, and ensure maximum benefit to workers, services will be given flexibility to deliver this program. Changes to Victoria’s Pandemic Orders From 11.59pm Friday 24 June, the following changes to Victoria’s Pandemic Orders go into effect: Two-dose vaccination requirements will be lifted. Third dose mandates in education, food distribution, meat and seafood processing and quarantine accommodation sectors will be lifted. Third doses are still required for high risk workforces including residential aged care and disability care, healthcare, and custodial and emergency services, including police. In line with other jurisdictions around Australia, vaccination policies will largely be the responsibility of individual workplaces. Masks will no longer be required at airports. They will still be mandatory on aircrafts. Visitor caps to care facilities are removed. Residents are able to see any number of people as long as they test negative on a rapid antigen test that day. Positive cases may now leave isolation to drive a household member directly to or from education or work without leaving their vehicle. With vaccination mandates being lifted across a range of industries in most states and territories, the onus is on individual workplaces to manage their vaccination and infection control policies. Reminder: even when public health orders ease, employers still have a WHS duty to protect their staff from harm and maintain a COVIDSafe workplace. Is it time to review your vaccination and infection control policy? ➤ Read The treadmill of COVIDsafe workplace compliance > ➤ Read Do you have a workplace vaccination policy? > ➤ Read Reopening workplaces – are you ready? > WorkSafe compliance updates and reminders To review some of Victoria’s recent WHS news, read WorkSafe compliance updates and reminders > For more information and tailored support, please contact us today.

Disputes and grievances occur in every workplace. Workplace conflict is common and can involve members of the leadership team, employees, stakeholders, contractors, vendors, clients, unions and/or the broader community. The key to preventing grievances from escalating is for employers, boards, managers and supervisors to promote a work culture of clear, honest, transparent communication. When WorkPlacePLUS team member Carmen Hurwitz spoke with Richard Aedy on ABC Radio National's Best Practice program, they discussed the role of courageous conversations in mitigating and resolving workplace conflict. Learn more and access the interview > Having courageous conversations in the workplace is important, yet many organisations lack the resources, training or experience to effectively facilitate them. This is where mediation can help. As the neutral third-party, a mediator facilitates communication and understanding between two parties, empowering them to negotiate a mutually acceptable outcome. Here are our top 5 reasons why mediation provides such a powerful path to conflict resolution in the workplace: 1. The safe space for honest communication A mediator uses their expertise to encourage and enable courageous conversations. Mediation creates a safe time and space for two parties to delve into the deeper issues and navigate a way forward, towards resolution. 2. The proactive approach to conflict resolution An experienced mediator is able to identify where relationships have an undercurrent, or when something has happened that needs to be talked about, so that issues can brought to the surface and discussed before things get out of hand. The opposite to burying your head in sand, mediation encourages a proactive response, such as “I’m sensing something not right, what can we do to get things back on track?” 3. The opportunity for continuous improvement When managers or directors sense an issue brewing in the workplace, they can either choose to evade it or explore it. Those who encourage courageous conversations ultimately benefit from a huge phase of growth, learning and change within the organisation. With insights into their workplace culture and behaviours, organisations can transform the way their people interact, which has a positive ripple effect on not only productivity but every aspect of the workplace. 4. The commitment to respect and wellbeing in the workplace When an organisation responds proactively to tensions or disputes by engaging an experienced, independent mediator, this sends a strong message about the value of wellbeing in the workplace. It also demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to fair, respectful conflict resolution. 5. Settling out of court Mediators who are certified to perform court-mandated mediation under the National Mediation Accreditation System may receive referrals from the Fair Work commission, or any other commission, to assist in court-mandated mediation. This is often the first step before a case is escalated to court, where a decision is imposed by a judge. Mediation reaches a negotiation in a much more direct, private and amicable way. How do you resolve conflict in the workplace? To help you resolve workplace conflict, WorkPlacePLUS provides mediation and dispute resolution services with a commitment to continuous improvement and strengthening teams. Our mediators are skilled, experienced, accredited, and certified to perform court-mandated mediation under the National Mediation Accreditation System. WorkPlacePLUS also offers training and development programs the include practical training on having courageous conversations in the workplace. Read Facing staff challenges with confidence > For more information, please contact us today.

Paid Family & Domestic Violence (FDV) Leave Personal Leave in Western Australia Changes to Parental Leave Managing Employee Annual Leave Balances Employers have a range of obligations to uphold in relation to staff leave and entitlements. For example, employers must ensure they are: keeping up to date on the latest employment regulations, paying employees their correct entitlements, and communicating effectively with employees to inform them of their options and any changes to their entitlements. Here are some recent updates to employee leave entitlements that employers must be prepared to implement: Paid Family & Domestic Violence Leave On 27 October 2022, The Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022 passed both houses in parliament. This updates the National Employment Standards (NES). Effective 1 February 2023, employees affected by family and domestic violence will be entitled to 10 days of paid Family & Domestic Violence (FDV) Leave per year, up from the current 5 days of unpaid leave per year. Small businesses will have until 1 August 2023 for the changes to take effect. FDV Leave is available to employees who have experienced violent, threatening, controlling, or abusive behaviour by a close relative, a member of an employee’s household, or a current or former intimate partner of an employee. The entitlement allows the affected employee to take time off from work to do things necessary to alleviate their situation, such as seeking support, finding safe accommodation, or attending court hearings, without putting their employment at risk. The new entitlement will apply to all employees, including casual employees and employees under enterprise agreements which already have paid FDV Leave entitlements. Employees will have access to paid FDV Leave from the day they commence employment, and the entitlement will refresh every year. Employers should update their leave policies and monitoring systems before 1 February 2023 to reflect the new changes. It is important for employers to understand their role in supporting employees experiencing FDV, including practical workplace supports and safety plans. WorkPlacePLUS provides contact officer training to help employers ensure their staff can confidentially access appropriate information, options and resources. Learn more > Personal Leave in Western Australia Changes to the personal leave entitlement have been introduced for all employees in the state industrial relations system of Western Australia. Sick leave and carer’s leave have been combined, and both forms of leave are now termed ‘personal leave’. The new personal leave provisions in the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993 (MCE Act) were introduced by the Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Act 2021 and commenced on 20 June 2022. For more information, refer to Changes to employment laws in Western Australia. Changes to Parental Leave > Managing Employee Annual Leave Balances > WorkPlacePLUS provides outsourced support and assistance with complex HR matters, such as the correct interpretation and implementation of employment regulations. For more information, please contact us today.

Have you ever had a strained relationship with a colleague or manager? If so, how did this affect the team’s productivity? What about your own mental health? It is not uncommon for tensions or unresolved issues to simmer beneath the surface in the workplace. When underlying issues and “bad vibes” are not properly addressed, this can lead to major dysfunction within teams and an increasing sense of toxicity within the workplace culture. Issues within the workplace need to be addressed. Often this means that a manager or employee must find the courage to have some difficult conversations about what is going on. This is not easy to do. WorkPlacePLUS team member Carmen Hurwitz spoke with Richard Aedy on ABC Radio National's Best Practice about conflict resolution, the role of an independent mediator and why you should train your staff to have courageous conversations at work. Click here to listen to the full interview You can also find this discussion on the ABC Listen App or wherever you get your podcasts. For assistance facilitating conflict resolution within your workplace, or to learn more about our Courageous Conversations training module, please contact us today. TO ACCESS MORE INTERVIEWS & PODCASTS, VISIT OUR MEDIA PAGE >