Feeling safe to speak up is a key characteristic of a psychologically safe environment, but the obligation to provide one has left some leaders "scared witless", and unsure of what they can and can't say, a psychologist says.
"Simple life experience" should have taught an employee not to bully and humiliate his co-worker, according to the Fair Work Commission, but a lack of evidence that he was trained in workplace policies meant his dismissal was harsh.
Trying to navigate tensions that arise due to pluralism and polarisation without first strengthening the "moral muscles" required is like trying to run a marathon without training, a leader warns.
It was "highly inappropriate" for a worker's paid agent to pursue a general protections claim that had no prospects of success, but the Fair Work Commission says the employer's $80k legal bill appears "excessive".
The employee cohort most at risk of experiencing s-xual harassment and victimisation at work is also at risk of suffering more profoundly, and researchers say targeted solutions are "urgently required".
Helping employees feel supported to adapt to change is one of the key ways employers can drive up their engagement levels in the coming year, a workplace expert says.
It might have been unreasonable to make further demands of an employee who had already complied with his employer's absence notification system, but this didn't amount to bullying, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
An employee who was only available to work on a day her employer closed its business was 'dismissed', the Fair Work Commission has ruled, allowing her general protections claim to proceed.
The more that employee relations advisors leverage "the power of enquiry" in their roles, the better placed they will be to serve their stakeholders, according to a workplace strategist.
An employer was understandably offended by the suggestion it took adverse action against an employee because she disclosed she had autism, the Fair Work Commission has accepted in dismissing her claim.
All employers should consider putting in place a workplace s-xual harassment prevention plan, even though such plans are only expressly prescribed in one jurisdiction, according to a risk management expert.
Recent events have shone a spotlight on whistleblowing, placing employers firmly on notice that their response to a protected disclosure could be subject to intense scrutiny. Watch this webcast to understand the role HR plays in this challenging space.
