Like many of us, I believe myself to be fair and largely free of prejudice. I live and work in a diverse city, with people of various cultural backgrounds, and I enjoy experiences that expose me to new things. I consider myself to be largely impartial as I evaluate people and situations. But, as it […]
Like many people, I currently open the newspaper with a sense of dread, wondering what new bad things will have happened overnght. Last week, there were media reports that the Former Chair of the ABC Board often referred to women at work as ‘chicks’ or ‘babes’. This week, we have Alan Jones’ shockingly disrespectful and threatening […]
Australian finance and business commentator Alan Kohler has a terrific business podcast featuring short, sharp interviews with business leaders. Next time you are flying Qantas, you can also pick up episodes on their inflight Qantas Radio. He recently interviewed Worklogic’s founding directors, Grevis Beard and Rose Bryant-Smith. The interview is informative and entertaining – well worth […]
Last week, at the annual conference of the Australasian Association of Workplace Investigators, there were some interesting and robust discussions in relation to the ethics that should be adhered to by independent investigators when they are investigating a complaint in the workplace. The role of an independent investigator There was a firm view that the […]
It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it – the importance of delivering feedback in a reasonable manner My mother always told me not to put something in writing that I wouldn’t mind someone else picking up and reading. It’s similar to the “front page of the newspaper test” – that is, would […]
So often when we are asked to undertake an investigation into allegations of problematic workplace behaviour, it becomes clear that it was all about the “how”, rather than the “what”. 1) How adept and skilled were the team members at responding to a range of stressors which may influence behaviour? 2) How competent was everyone […]
Bad behaviour and conflict are common in Australian workplaces. In a major 2016 survey, 14% of Australian workers described their workplace environment as ‘toxic’, 20% had experienced major problems in communication with a co-worker or boss, and 50% reported that they have experienced one or more serious incidents of conflict or other negative conduct at […]
Eleven years on from 2007, when we first started Worklogic, it is interesting to reflect on what the evolving approaches to managing workplace conflict and complaints. 1. Workplace Investigation remains the key tool for serious allegations A solidly conducted workplace investigation has been, is, and always will be a fundamentally important response when allegations of […]
Secret recordings of conversations at work are becoming increasingly common. As mobile phones become ubiquitous, the ability to record a conversation in the workplace becomes as easy as a button discreetly pushed in a pocket or handbag. In the context of workplace conflict, where they can be presented by employees as supporting evidence for an […]
There are certain key principles of procedural fairness which need to apply when conducting an workplace investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour at work. These include these two key rules: 1. The individual who is the subject of alleged misconduct has the opportunity to respond to specific allegations 2. Individuals have an opportunity to respond […]