Drug and alcohol testing policies that follow industry and Australian standards are more likely to be considered reasonable - and therefore enforceable - than those that depart from standard practice, according to employment lawyer Erin Rice.
The need for drug and alcohol testing in high-risk workplaces is largely uncontested, but disputes still arise over the types of tests administered, and how employers respond to positive results.
This short webcast explains what every employer should consider when implementing a testing regime.
Employers should not view workplace bullying and harassment only as something to take seriously in the event of a complaint, but as "part of core business", according to occupational psychologist Dr Moira Jenkins.
Recent changes to the Fair Work Act provide further motivation for employers to ensure their staff know what bullying is - and what it's not, according to Workplace Solutions director Fay Calderone.
Claims of bullying and harassment can damage an organisation's culture and reputation - and drain it of valuable time and resources - but they are often preventable, according to psychiatrist and dispute resolution expert Dr Doron Samuell.
Managers need the skills to have casual conversations - as opposed to confrontations - about minor performance and behaviour problems, says leadership consultant Steve Fearns.
Too often, what should be a simple conversation about performance or behaviour blows up into a confrontation, says leadership coach and life strategist Steve Fearns.
In this webcast, he sets out a framework for managers to:
get clear on an issue;
create self-awareness in employees;
provide non-threatening feedback;
approach counselling and discipline;
create responsibility and accountability in teams and individuals;
establish a team charter and expectations to "start again" and set ground rules; and
use internal policies and procedures to achieve better results.
There is no single performance management process endorsed by courts and tribunals, but their rulings demonstrate some "clear fundamentals" that employers should follow to avoid disputes and claims, according to employment lawyer Shana Schreier-Joffe.
Costly legal disputes continue to highlight the many risks employers face when managing, disciplining, or dismissing employees while they are absent, injured or incapacitated. Attend this webinar for an up-to-date review of the legal framework applying to workplace absenteeism, injury and incapacity, and lessons from recent case law.
