When the current amendments to Sex Discrimination Act came into effect in Dember 2023, positive duty become the forefront in employers’ minds. The Positive duty requirement will see employers and organisations taking reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate as far as possible inappropriate workplace conduct.
Organisations are starting to review their existing policies and procedures on sexual harassment in order to ensure they comply with the changes to legislation. Employers will look to implement strategies that included training programs focusing on prevention of sexual harassment, focusing on psychosocial wellbeing, enhancing complaint management processes and introducing third party anonymous whistleblower hotlines. One of the guiding principles is a focus on a people centred and trauma informed approach, with emphasis of promoting support, safety and wellbeing of staff.
While prevention is key, organisations must also think about having clear avenues and strengthening reporting process for dealing and receiving complaints of sexual harassment, sexual discrimination and victimisations. Many organisations will start looking to implement and provide employees with access to a third-party complaint line services. An independent and confidential complaint line is a valuable extra for any organisation. There are many benefits to having an external reporting line for staff, at Worklogic’s own reporting service, Integrity Line, we know firsthand the benefits, these include:
- Demonstrates an organisations commitment to best practice in employee engagement and occupational health and safety
- Independent handling by workplace consultants with extensive training in complaints handling, privacy and confidentiality, data security, ethics and whistleblower protection
- Complaints handling to experts who are trained to ask the right questions and to ensure callers are heard and taken seriously.
- Reliable capture and recording of identified risks, offering early intervention and allowing action to be taken as soon as a concern is raised.
- Facilitates compliance with provisions of the Enhanced Whistleblower Protections Act 2019
- Ensure that complaints are brought to the attention of the right person in your business.
Complaint hotlines have been demonstrated to increase employee trust in their organisation’s declared values and concern for ethical standards. It builds confidence and empowers staff with options as to which avenue they feel most comfortable taking. Importantly it sends a strong message that inappropriate behaviour is not tolerated in the workplace, making it an effective step at prevention.
Integrity Line is a confidential and independent service enabling employees and other people to make reports of misconduct or unethical behaviour that they have witnessed or have become aware of at your organisation. Contact us at reports@intgrityline.com.au to learn more.
