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From 1st July 2019, all Australian aged care service providers will need to comply with the new Aged Care Quality Standards. These new standards cover eight areas: Consumer dignity and choice Ongoing assessment and planning with consumers Personal care and clinical care Services and supports for daily living Organisation’s service environment Feedback and complaints Human resources Organisational governance Open disclosure Under Standard 6, advanced communication strategies may be in order. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission expects aged care organisations to regularly seek feedback and complaints from consumers, carers and the workforce. Organisations will need to be able to demonstrate that improvements are being made based on the feedback. Raising workforce standards Under Standard 7, HR practices will be scrutinized. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission expects aged care organisations to have a skilled and qualified workforce, sufficient to deliver and manage safe, respectful, and quality care and services. Organisations will need to meet the five key workforce requirements, pertaining to the following: Workforce planning Workforce interactions with consumers Qualifications and competencies Recruitment and training Performance management Governing the workplace culture Under Standard 8, leadership is accountable for the delivery of safe and quality care and services. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission expects the organisation’s governing body to be accountable for promoting a safe, inclusive workplace culture and delivering quality care and services. Some of the key governance requirements include: Effective risk management systems and practices Effective organisation-wide governance systems, and A clinical governance framework (where applicable). Getting help Organisations will need to be able to demonstrate that they meet every requirement of the new Aged Care Quality Standards. This includes monitoring all practices and processes, keeping accurate records, reviewing outcomes on a regular basis, and making adjustments for continuous improvement. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has released a 30-minute educational video to help service providers prepare for the new Standards that come into effect on and from 1st July 2019. The Commission is also offering half-day preparation workshops Australia-wide, but these are SOLD OUT. WorkPlacePLUS can help you ensure that you are complying with the new Aged Care Quality Standards. For more information and support, please contact us today.

The findings of the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2018 National workplace sexual harassment survey expose the enormity of the problem, with one in three people having experienced sexual harassment at work in the last five years. The survey findings also confirm that most workplace sexual harassment is perpetrated by a male, over an extended time period, causing significant negative mental health issues to victims. It is important to add that workplace sexual harassment is just one of many indications of workplace bullying and harassment. Bullying is defined as persistent and repeated negative behaviour directed towards another person in the workplace, or group of persons, that creates a risk to health and safety. This may include sexual harassment or any number of negative behaviours such as repeated teasing, intimidation or psychological harassment, hazing, deliberate exclusion, pushing, shoving, tripping, grabbing, threatening or attacking. Workplace bullying and harassment is both a safety and cultural issue that requires a proactive approach to change, starting at the leadership level. Organisational leaders have both a moral and legal obligation to ensure that everyone feels safe at work. In 2014, new workplace bullying laws formed part of the Fair Work Act 2009, directly placing obligation and liability on the employer and directors, who can be held personally liable if they fail to provide a workplace free from bullying and harassment. Code of conduct, comprehensive risk control and proper staff training and support are all important elements that leaders need to put in motion, to not only demonstrate their commitment but, more importantly, to influence real cultural change and a safer workplace. A number of progressive leaders are incorporating various tools to better understand the cultural climate within their organisations, such as regular cultural surveys. Leadership needs to put their finger on the pulse of their organisation to understand any issues that may be affecting their staff. A workplace cultural review is a proactive process that reveals the team culture and any factors that are impacting employee engagement. Independent cultural reviews facilitated confidentially by WorkPlacePLUS can provide you with an objective assessment of the culture, behaviours, attitudes and level of engagement in your organisation, and offer feedback, recommendations and opportunities to improve engagement, productivity and safety in the workplace. Workplace bullying and harassment is serious and can be complex. Engaging an external experienced workplace investigator will remove the perceived biases and ensure procedural fairness. Workplace investigations must be conducted professionally from the interview stage through to the final report. This strengthens the findings, in case they are challenged by the staff member, union or court system. WorkPlacePLUS provides full investigation services of the highest standard, which are able to meet your obligations under various legislation such as Fair Work Act and Work, Health & Safety, while you continue on with business as usual. Our HR consultants are also registered private investigators. For more information, please contact us today.

Are you facing workforce challenges? This two-part article is intended to help you build the right team for your organisation. Part One is all about the recruitment phase. Click here to revisit PART ONE: Hiring For Attitude PART TWO: The Probation Period Leaders and managers need to ensure that there are processes in place to increase the possibility of employees succeeding in their roles. The probation period of employment is vital. It provides an opportunity for the employer to assess the suitability of their new employee, and for the new employee to decide if the job is right for them. For managers to get the probation period right, they must set clear expectations and key result areas from day one. These must align with both the position description and the organisational goals and values. Most importantly, with open, honest communication, the manager must be able sit down regularly with staff to communicate and receive feedback on what is happening. For a staff member on probation, managers should meet with them at least monthly during the probation period to assess whether this person fits the culture and is capable of fulfilling their responsibilities. Open, honest dialogue with staff is equally important for supervisors to be able notice emerging issues or unusual behaviours before they escalate. Behavioural/attitudinal factors to note during the probation period: Are they on time? Do they get along with other team members? Do they contribute to meetings? Do they participate? What if it’s not working out? If you find that your new employee does not fit into the company culture and does not have the right attitude, it is advisable to attend to this during their probation period. You have the right to terminate the employment arrangement for any reason during the probationary period, as long as you are being fair and have applied your HR policies and relevant legislation such as discrimination, harassment, etc. However, termination during the probation period should not come as a surprise. It is very poor practice to say nothing for three months while problems or tensions escalate, only to then invite the person to attend a meeting on the last day or two of their probation, where you terminate their employment. Best practice is to establish regular check-ins from the get-go, for feedback and performance management. Make sure you take notes of each meeting. Cultivating Your Workplace Culture As your workforce grows, remember that hiring great attitudes helps to build awesome teams. There are many proactive steps you can take to ensure you are maintaining a positive workplace culture. For more information, training and support, please contact us today.

Are you facing workforce challenges? This two-part article is intended to help you build the right team for your organisation. PART ONE: Choosing Wisely It should go without saying that employing the right team is paramount to the success of your organisation. If you get it right, the result is a harmonious workplace, a high-performing team and most importantly, satisfied clients who are respected and well cared-for. If you get it wrong, the risks and potential consequences can be a nightmare. At best, you may have to deal with low productivity and a toxic workplace culture. At worst, you could face serious complaints and penalties, while jeopardising the safety of your clients and staff. Employers have two important windows of opportunity to hire the right people: The recruitment phase and the probation period. The Recruitment Phase Before you take on a new employee, you should clarify your employment obligations ahead of time, including all of the details related to the job description, employment contracts, policies, procedures and job training. Once you’ve narrowed down your candidates, how do you choose the right person for your team? Hiring For Attitude The most important factor to consider when recruiting a new employee is not qualifications or even shared values. The key to successful recruitment and retention of awesome team members is recruiting for the right ATTITUDE. Conflict within the workplace can be caused by a bad attitude towards clients, the employer or other staff. When recruiting new staff and putting a team together, your ability to read or assess other people’s attitude, personality, motivators and preferred communication styles will help you achieve the right balance and diversity for optimal teamwork and productivity. There are behavioural science tools available, such as personality profiling, that can help screen and assess candidates. Your successful candidate will most likely already have the pre-requisite skills to do the job, and hopefully they have impressed you with their keen and positive attitude towards the job. The first few weeks of employment will determine whether they are a good culture fit for your business! PART TWO of this article discusses the all-important probationary period of employment. Click here to read PART TWO: The Probation Period Cultivating Your Workplace Culture As your workforce grows, remember that hiring great attitudes helps to build awesome teams. There are many proactive steps you can take to ensure you are maintaining a positive workplace culture. For more information, training and support, please contact us today.

5 key questions to ensuring a lawful placement Internships sometimes hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, such as when employers use internships to take advantage of people who are trying to gain experience in the workforce. The Fair Work Ombudsman considers unpaid work experience and internships that are not vocational placements to be unlawful if the person is in an employment relationship with the business or organisation they are doing the work for. People in employment relationships are employees of a business and entitled to: a minimum wage, the National Employment Standards, the terms of any applicable award or registered agreement. Employers need to consider whether or not a person is an employee. It is a matter of working out whether the arrangement involves the creation of an employment contract. That contract does not have to be in writing, it can be a purely verbal agreement. There are a range of indicators that an employment relationship exists, and it needs to be assessed on a case by case basis. Key indicators of an employment relationship are: an intention to enter into an agreed arrangement to do work for the employer , a commitment by the person to perform work for the benefit of the business or organisation and not as part of a running a business of their own, and an expectation that the person will receive payment for their work. An employer needs to consider the following questions to ensure the internship is not unlawful: 1. What is the purpose of the internship? If the purpose of the internship is to give the person work experience it is less likely to be an employment relationship. But if the person is doing work to help with the ordinary operation of the business or organisation it may be an employment relationship arises. The more productive work that’s involved (rather than just observation, learning, training or skill development), the more likely it is that the person’s an employee. 2. How long does the arrangement run for? Generally, the longer the time period of the arrangement, the more likely the person is an employee. 3. What are the person’s work activities? Is the person doing work that is significant to the business or normally done by paid employees? Does the business or organisation need this work to be done? If the person is doing work that would otherwise be done by an employee, or it's work that the business or organisation has to do, it's more likely the person is an employee. 4. Is the person expected or required to work? Although the person may do some productive activities as part of a learning experience, training or skill development, they're less likely to be an employee if they aren't expected or required by the business or organisation to come to work or do productive activities. 5. Who's getting the benefit? The person who’s doing the work should get the main benefit from the arrangement. If a business or organisation is getting the main benefit from engaging the person and their work, it’s more likely the person is an employee. The Fair Work Ombudsman website provides information to help employers better understand the various forms of unpaid work. WorkPlacePLUS has a specialised HR team that can support employers to meet their workplace obligations. To discuss any HR issues you may have please contact us today.

Dear WorkPlacePLUS Community, Throughout the month of October, WorkPlacePLUS has been celebrating a milestone – five years in business! Five years ago, after 20+ years as a senior HR manager, I decided to step out on my own and start an integrated HR consultancy. I knew this was the best way for me to help employers to achieve their goals. For five years, WorkPlacePLUS has been supporting and assisting Australian employers to navigate all the complexities, benefits and risks that go hand in hand with employing staff. And we're still going strong! When I look at how WorkPlacePLUS has grown over the past 5 years, I feel very proud of our hard-working team and the meaningful work that we do. I cannot thank the WorkPlacePLUS team enough for their talent, professionalism and camaraderie. As a part of our birthday celebrations, WorkPlacePLUS hosted a terrific team appreciation day: I would like to extend my very special thanks to our valued clients for supporting WorkPlacePLUS. Many of our clients are not-for-profit organisations dedicated to helping and caring for Australians in need. Some of our clients already have an HR department, but require unbiased support for managing organisational change or resolving conflict. Other clients operate in small teams with limited resources, so they rely on having flexible access to our services. All of our business relationships are built on trust and transparency. Engaging an experienced HR consultant from WorkPlacePLUS has proven to be an effective way for our clients to meet their employer obligations without diverting their team’s focus away from their primary roles. To help mark the occasion of our business birthday, WorkPlacePLUS has launched a video – please check it out (with the sound on) and share it with your colleagues and professional network. I would love to get your feedback! I hope this video might spark some valuable conversations within your workplace. If it’s got you thinking about your own workplace culture, let’s chat. You can reach me on (03) 9492 0958 or via our contact page. Kindest regards, Anna Pannuzzo Director, WorkPlacePLUS

Does your workplace shut down over the Christmas Holidays? As we approach the festive season, it’s time to plan ahead for a smooth transition into the New Year. Use this checklist to help make sure you’ve got your bases covered: Skeleton Staffing Many workplaces will shut down around Christmas and New Year’s but some require continuous staffing, such as medical and aged care facilities. To prepare: ✅ Finalise staff rosters including any extra arrangements needed for contract workers. ✅ Clarify accountabilities including who will have building access. ✅ Provide updated emergency contact information. ✅ Plan ahead for any financial transactions or admin procedures that may be needed during the shutdown period. Review Your Employment Obligations ✅ Employers are required to pay employees their usual wages during Christmas/New Year’s shutdown unless their award or agreement says otherwise. ✅ Review your obligations regarding pay rates and entitlements over public holidays. Your award or enterprise agreement will outline what employees should be paid when working on a public holiday. A reminder that when New Year’s Day or Christmas Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday the next following Monday is also a public holiday. When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday the next following Monday is also a public holiday, and when Boxing Day falls on a Sunday or Monday the next following Tuesday is also a public holiday. ✅ For employees who have accumulated leave, check your award or agreement to see if you are allowed to request them to take their leave during the shutdown period. Read Managing employee annual leave balances > Read Changes to shutdown clauses in awards > ✅ Ensure you have a COVIDsafe plan in place. ✅ Review our compliance checklist for employers. Protect Your Assets ✅ Make sure your IT systems are backed up and secure including functioning generators. ✅ Turn off any equipment that won’t be needed. ✅ For equipment that will be needed, ensure that it has been serviced and power supply is backed up. ✅ Check all security and emergency procedures. The down time after Christmas is a great opportunity to review your workplace practices. This is important to ensure that you are meeting your employment obligations, preventing risks and operating smoothly into the new year. For more information, please contact us today.

Annual leave is an entitlement for employees which is to be taken regularly to ensure that they have appropriate downtime and can relax. Not taking accrued annual leave can be hazardous to the health and safety of employees. Excessive accrued annual leave balances can represent a significant financial liability for employers. Here are some general options for managing employees with excessive annual leave balances: Shutdown Depending on business requirements, employers may shut down during quiet periods, for example over Christmas/New Year, and require their staff to take annual leave during this time. The Fair Work Act says that if a requirement is “reasonable” you can insist that employees who are not covered by an award or agreement take a period of annual leave. Enforcing staff to take leave over a shutdown period is even given as an example of a “reasonable” condition. But if your employees are covered by an award or an agreement, you will need to check the relevant provisions. Direction to take leave If an employee has accrued an excessive amount of leave, it is considered “reasonable” to direct them to take annual leave. While the Fair Work Act doesn’t define how much leave is “excessive”, greater than four weeks can be used as a general guide (this is used in many agreements and policies). If your employees are covered by an award or an agreement, you will have to check those specific provisions. Most modern awards now provide for employers to direct employees with excessive leave balances to take paid annual leave. In certain circumstances, such employees can also give their employer a written notice requiring paid annual leave to be granted. Cashing out of leave Employers can cash out some of an employee’s leave balance, but only if the worker agrees to it. The agreement has to be in writing and the employee can’t be left with a leave balance of less than four weeks. Staff employed under a registered award or agreement can only cash out a maximum of two weeks’ leave every 12 months. Requiring employees to use leave within a certain period Some employers ask their staff to use their leave in the same year they accrue it, by stating in their policy that if an employee builds up a certain amount of leave, they must talk with their manager about a mutually convenient time to take it. Such policies may “encourage” staff to take leave, but these can’t be legally enforced unless the requirement is deemed “reasonable”. Accrued leave can’t be lost just because an employee hasn’t used it within the stipulated time. An employee who doesn’t comply with the policy is still entitled to accrue leave and have it paid out on termination. It is important for employers to be familiar with the rules around annual leave entitlements and, ideally, be able to come to an agreement with employees around managing leave balances. For bespoke assistance or more information, please contact us today.

To meet service, quality and safety standards, managers are required to promote continuous improvement in team performance and individual job performances. This includes addressing the situation when an individual's or team's performance seems "off". What’s your leadership approach to managing poor behaviours in the workplace? When I spoke last week with Richard Aedy on ABC Radio National’s “Best Practice” program, we discussed a whole range of staff issues that managers face, such as lateness, non-attendance, attire, group emails, unsatisfactory work, office romances, and more. During our discussion, I explained that managers need to be able to distinguish between a performance issue and a behavioural issue, as each pertains to a different set of rules, expectations and consequences. Listen now > WorkPlacePLUS offer a range of support services to help employers address performance and behaviour issues in the workplace. For more information, please contact us today. ► To access more interviews and podcasts, visit our Media page >

Ultimately directors are responsible for the stewardship of the organisation. The Banking Royal Commission has identified less than reasonable behaviour from a number of financial services organisations, subsequently resulting in the negative reputational impact which saw the CEO and a number of directors retiring, not to mention a very sharp decline in share price and the potential for litigation from various stakeholders. Management should have effective internal controls such as policies, procedures and systems in place to effectively manage exposure to risk. Such policies and procedures should cover the following: Human Resources – including recruitment policies, conflict of interest, job descriptions, training, performance evaluations, remuneration and disciplinary procedures, investigations of workplace incidents, etc. Risk & Compliance – including regular compliance certifications from responsible officers, breach and incidents registers, risk assessments and rating, etc. Administration & Financial – including job responsibilities, segregation of duties, procedures for key administration activities, reporting relationships, financial authorities and access to assets. Reporting – including regular review of financial and operational reports and controls, preparation responsibility, etc. Systems – including security, system hardware and software, procedures for key activities e.g. procurement, business continuity, etc. The starting point for any organisation is to identify and assess its risk. Generally, the Board/ management will conduct a risk assessment to identify the key business risks, assess their probability of occurrence and rate these risks. A risk assessment assists management to focus on the key business risks. It is important for managers to regularly monitor, review these risks and the effectiveness of the internal controls. As a guide, risks can be classified into broad categories, for example: 1. Asset 2. Financial 3. Operational 4. Regulatory/Compliance 5. Reputational For a business with a high reliance and dependency on staff, Human Resources will be a key business risk and most employers would have a range of policies, procedures and systems in place. Employers may also bring in a consultant with subject matter expertise to ensure that they have adequate and effective internal controls. Listed below is a limited selection of internal controls which your organisation may implement for risks associated with Human Resource: Recruitment Policy References to hiring procedures, such as anti-discrimination, legal compliance, police checks, type of employment contracts (full-time, part-time, casual), probationary period if applicable, safety ,induction etc. Remuneration Policy Identifying Fair Work, ordinary pay rates, overtime, time in lieu, providing payslips, submitting withholding tax to the ATO, payment of superannuation, worker compensation. LSL, annual & sick leave entitlements, etc. Other Human Resources Policies Bullying & Harassment, Workplace Health & Safety Policy, Dress Policy, Delegations, Performance Management, Conflict of Interest, Jury Duty, Social Media Policy, Confidentiality, Privacy, Domestic Violence, Ceasing Employment, etc. To ensure the effectiveness of the relevant internal controls, staff need to be aware and regularly trained on the respective of policies, procedures and systems. Compliance with respective legislative requirements should be identified as a regulatory risk for all orgnaisations. For example, the Fair Work Act sets out various obligations for an organisation, such as minimum pay rates, working conditions, unfair dismissal to name a few. In recent times, there have been a number of high profile employers who have received negative media exposure for underpaying staff. This has created a negative impact on their respective reputation, not to mention the potential financial impact. For assistance with your organisations internal controls, please contact us today.

As social media increasingly permeates our lives, the lines between “personal” and “professional”, “private” and “public” have become blurred. A person’s right to freedom of expression may be perceived as inappropriate conduct by their employer or coworker. This can be harmful to a brand, reputation and business relationships, and people can lose their jobs. It is no longer unusual to see media reports of cases where employees are dismissed or forced to resign because of comments or images they posted on their personal social media accounts. Employees typically risk getting into trouble when they post offensive, inappropriate or defamatory comments post controversial or extreme opinions or images tell work they are sick then post photos of their big night out Does your workplace have a social media policy? Employers who take a strict stance on social media conduct may find themselves facing a legal dispute if they don’t have the proper policies and contractual clauses in place. By now, every employer should have an up-to-date social media policy. Review your social media policy regularly, to make sure it stays relevant to today’s online culture, which is perpetually and rapidly evolving. Social media and workplace discrimination Social media posts can be against the law if they harass, bully, racially vilify or discriminate against someone. The Australian Human Rights Commission website warns employers that social media postings can be against the law if they discriminate against, harass, bully or racially vilify a person. “Employers can be held legally responsible for acts of discrimination or harassment that occur in the workplace or in connection with a person’s employment. This can include posts and comments made or circulated on social media. To minimise their liability, employers need to demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent discrimination or harassment from occurring in their workplaces.” ~ Australian Human Rights Commission In the case of Little v Credit Corp Group Limited t/as Credit Corp Group [2013] FWC 9642, Mr. Little used his personal Facebook account to criticise a professional associate of his employer, and to make sexual comments about a new employee. This was a breach of the employer’s policy on appropriate social media conduct. Mr. Little was aware of and had received training about the policy. The termination of Mr. Little’s employment for misuse of social media in breach of the policy was held to be valid. Sometimes social media works in the employer’s favour. This good news story about an employee taking a mental health day went viral. Good to see top management sending a clear message to their employees, encouraging a mentally healthy workplace. In this case, the use of social media resulted in good press for the company. Interesting though, how rapidly the contents of an internal company email went viral via Twitter. Damaging comments about employers, employees or coworkers can go just as viral, with potentially disastrous consequences. Employers can manage the risk of workplace disputes and claims of harassment or discrimination by educating their staff on appropriate conduct on social media. This should include policies and training addressing discrimination and harassment in the use of social media. It is also wise to include policies and discussions around organisational values and avoiding reputational damage. Read Respect & responsibility in the workplace > How do you know whether or not a serious breach has occurred? If you receive a verbal or written workplace grievance, complaint or allegation regarding an employee’s social media conduct, you are obliged to investigate the issue to find out what happened and determine whether a breach has occurred. Read How to spot bullying in your workplace > Whether the 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 your organisation to respond with the appropriate action. WorkPlacePLUS has a team of experienced certified private investigators who provide independent workplace investigations of the highest standard. We assist in mitigating an employer’s obligations under various legislation such as Fair Work Act and Workplace, Health & Safety, while you continue to focus on business as usual. We value continuous improvement, so we also provide follow-up support to implement recommendations and restore harmony and productivity. Read Respect and responsibility in the workplace > For more information, please contact us today.

It may seem improper to name sexual harassment as the “hot topic” for 2018, but I’m sure you’ve noticed the spike of sexual harassment stories in the media, and I’m not just referring to the entertainment industry. A recent media report revealed that about one-fifth of Australia’s surgeons have failed to complete a mandatory online training course designed to combat sexual harassment and bullying within their profession. According to an independent report commissioned by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, nearly half of surgeons have experienced workplace bullying or harassment, and victims have generally been afraid to speak out. In 2017, two Royal Darwin Hospital doctors were stood down over two separate allegations of sexual assault against female medical students. Another media report revealed a “toxic” and “demoralising” culture of bullying and mismanagement at a hospital in south-west Victoria. And in 2018, it was reported that Melbourne City Council’s former Lord Mayor was under investigation following new allegations of sexual harassment, this time related to his former role as the chairman of Melbourne Health. Councillor Doyle vigorously denied the allegations, which involved a complaint of serious misconduct at a Melbourne Health gala dinner. Do your Directors and Executives understand the risks associated with any potential bullying or sexual harassment claim? Reputational Risk Regardless of investigative or legal outcomes, any allegation can create a negative reputational risk with all stakeholders, such as employees, regulators, government, etc. Financial Risk Under Australian Workplace Health and Safety legislation, directors and executives can be held personally liable for not providing a safe workplace. This legislation covers more than the physical safety within a workplace. For example, Brodie’s Law was passed after a young female employee was continually bullied at work and subsequently suicided. The courts found that the employer contributed to the bullying and harassment resulting in the directors and manager being fined. What can health service providers do to promote a workplace culture free from sexual harassment? The Australian Medical Association and the WA Health Department recently launched a poster campaign aimed at stamping out widespread sexual harassment and intimidation in the workplace, particularly by senior doctors against junior female doctors, nurses or registrars. Online trainings, campaign posters and informative websites are a start, but these tools alone are not enough to affect real cultural change in the workplace. Does your workplace have a contact officer who is trained to deal with allegations of bullying and harassment? Your employees need to know there is someone other than their manager or supervisor whom they can speak to if they have a complaint. Does your workplace have clear policies and practices to mitigate the risk of sexual harassment and unwelcome conduct? Your organisation’s Code of Conduct should define sexual harassment and clearly outline values, standards, expectations and consequences pertaining to appropriate workplace conduct. Do your workplace policies include a process for investigating bullying and harassment allegations? The workplace policy should set out the process that the organisation will take when an allegation of sexual harassment is made. There are advantages to engaging an Independent Workplace Investigator, for example, it reduces the risk of potential claims of cover ups, conflicts of interest or lack of transparency. Does your workplace run regular trainings designed to implement your Code of Conduct? Regular training programs play an important role in educating your staff on respect, responsibility and appropriate workplace conduct. Don’t assume that your staff are aware of the most current policies, procedures and support resources in your workplace. Employees need to be able to discuss different types of behaviours in a safe, educational setting, and they also need to be clear on the right course of action if they have a concern or complaint. WorkPlacePLUS supports organisations to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment in the workplace, with services such as tools for resolving workplace conflict, Respect@Work risk assessments, and training and development programs and more. For more information, please contact us today.