Sydney Safety Consultants Offer Advice on Preventing & Managing Workplace Bullying & Anti-Harrassment

NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia September, 2012 – Bullying is typically associated with school playgrounds and taunting children, but with the Productivity Commissioner stating that workplace bullying costs Australian employers between $6-$36 billion each year, it seems bullies are moving from the playground to the corporate workplace. According to the Human Rights Commission, costs to employers include indirect costs such as absenteeism, reduced turnover, loss of productivity and legal costs. As workplace bullying is becoming more recognised and the number of instances rising, lawmakers are paying more attention to this serious corporate issue and making changes to national legislation. www.safetyrecruitment.com.au/

Robert Keft, Managing Director of Safety Recruitment Australia (SRA), explains, “Safe Work Australia (SWA) is the national policy body responsible for the development and evaluation of the model Work Health and Safety laws and has been working towards harmonising work health and safety laws (WHS) across Australia for several years now. The benefits of harmonising laws will mean a reduction in compliance and regulatory burdens for businesses and consistent safety standards for all workers in Australia.”

Safety Recruitment Australia, which offers services to manage and reduce incidents of bullying and harassment, believes, “Every employer has an obligation and a duty of care to their work colleagues to provide a safe and healthy workplace. This is not only a legislative requirement, it also constructively emphasises to colleagues that they work in an environment which wants to promote safety and respect as one of its core values – promoting the belief that every employee should return from work in the same way they went to work,” says Mr Keft.

Managers who receive complaints from staff and team members must be aware of how to handle workplace bullying and according to Mr Keft, that involves a mixture of compassion, empathy and a high standard of professionalism. Failure to address the issue of workplace bullying in Australia could turn into an even bigger problem for the organisation.

Safety Recruitment Australia has prepared a risk management approach to dealing with workplace harassment and bullying for employers, management, and employees. The Safety Hazard Initiative seeks to create a more harmonious and collaborative environment in three ways:

1. Effective case management - To deal with incidents of bullying and harassment when they occur (responding).
2. Constructive communication skills - To build skills for dealing with workplace conflict and engender collaboration (managing the risk).

Contact Information

Robert Keft

Managing Director

Safety Recruitment Australia

(61) 1300 585 128

Contact via E-mail