Instead of managing personalities or interpersonal conflicts, proactively change organisational culture.
Workplace bullying remains a serious problem in many Australian workplaces, costing individuals and organisations in poor productivity, absenteeism and mental stress.
Panellists Commissioner Peter Hampton, Bernadette Nicol-Butler and Dr Michelle Tuckey explore how to design a bully-free workplace, focusing on prevention and early intervention.
They identify the hazards contributing to bullying, offer tools to assist organisations and outline the changes required to develop an organisational culture where workers feel safe to voice their concerns.
Brodie’s story
In September 2006, 19-year-old Brodie Panlock ended her life after enduring ongoing humiliating and intimidating bullying by her co-workers at a café in Hawthorn. Her death is a tragic reminder of the serious consequences that bullying can have on victims, their families and the community.
Who is this seminar for?
This panel discussion will be of interest to senior decision-makers and business leaders wanting to influence organisational culture and reduce bullying in the workplace; researchers, HR and safety professionals interested in workplace bullying, and those interested in workplace mental health more generally.
About the presenters
Commissioner Peter Hampton from the Fair Work Commission was appointed in January 2010 to Fair Work Australia and has also been on the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (2012–16), Australian Industrial Relations Commission (1996–2006) and the Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia (1994–2006). Before these appointments he was Director, Policy and Strategy at SafeWork SA.
Bernadette Nicol-Butler from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland. Bernie has five years’ experience working within work health and safety – in her current role as a Principal Policy Officer in Queensland and previously as Chief Policy Officer with SafeWork SA.
Bernie’s experience includes contributing to the development of the national Guide for preventing and responding to workplace bullying, Dealing with workplace bullying – a workers' guide, the South Australian Government response to the national Inquiry into workplace bullying and processes for the Fair Work Commission Anti-Bullying webpages.
Dr Michelle Tuckey is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of South Australia. Her program of research on wellbeing at work focuses on understanding the mechanisms involved in workplace bullying and occupational stress in order to prevent these psychosocial hazards. Her other research interests relate to leadership and mental health, and workplace mindfulness. Michelle serves on the editorial board and as guest editor for Journal of Occupational Health Psychology and International Journal of Stress Management, as a Director for Brodie’s Law Foundation, and on the management committee of Crisis Intervention and Management Australasia.