Australia has long-standing laws and regulations that protect employees in the workplace. The International Labour Organization's Discrimination Convention was ratified in 1973, followed by the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1983 and the signing of the Sex Discrimination Act in 1984. These structures are designed to make Australian workplaces safe for everyone.
In the twenty-first century, however, the landscape has changed, along with attitudes and the perception of what is right and acceptable, both at work and in society at large. To reflect this, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins and former Minister for Women Kelly O'Dwyer launched the National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces in 2018, which would form the basis for the Respect@Work recommendations and the Respect@Work Council.
This report and its recommendations will continue to shape Australia's sexual discrimination and harassment response in the years to come. With more support offered to those who experience harassment and discrimination at work, and a proactive approach to stamping out unsafe practices in the workplace, it is hoped that this new stance will bring about a better set of circumstances for the entire Australian workforce.
Of course, these changes also increase the responsibility undertaken by Australian employers. They will need to work harder to ensure continuous safety and well-being for their whole team and for anyone else on their premises. So, how is this done? How do employers bring about this brighter future in an efficient and effective manner?
First, is awareness. Business owners need to stay on top of the ongoing evolution of regulatory compliance requirements, ensuring that they remain within these parameters at all times. A compliance solution like Alloc8 gives you this capability. This software uses automated features to update compliance requirements and ensure that these are met in a systematic way.
Employers need to provide training to their staff. Following the Respect@Work report, this includes training on recognising unsafe or unwelcome behaviour in the workplace and educating on how to ensure safety and well-being across all operations. Again, Alloc8 makes it easy to manage these training requirements, ensuring that education sessions and inductions are delivered in a timely and safe manner.
Team members need to know that they are safe and protected at work, wherever this work takes place. Whether your team is operating at your head office, on your partner's premises, or out on a remote worksite, this knowledge should remain. Alloc8 provides a mobile app as a channel for this support, ensuring teams stay connected and fully equipped with everything they need, wherever they are working.
To discover more about what Alloc8 can do for you, give the platform a try for yourself.
Book a demo today to get started, or reach out to our team for further information.