As we discussed in our two previous posts, employers, large and small, in Australia must now contend with an entirely new set of legal obligations when trying to render their workplaces free of sexual harassment. Firstly, the principal duty falls squarely on the employer who must act proactively and systematically to take steps to …
The legislative landscape surrounding workplace sexual harassment and violence in Australia has undergone a profound change recently. The change is reflected in two principal areas: The first area concerns who bears the primary legal responsibility for addressing sexual harassment and what processes should be implemented and followed to combat it; The second area concerns classifying …
Australia was at one time (in the 1970s and 1980s) lauded as being in the forefront of tackling the scourge of sexual harassment in the workplace and elsewhere. Since then, it has fallen behind. Sexual harassment has remained a perennial and intractable problem in the Australian workplace – as it has in other countries. Until …
Respect at Work – Everyone’s Right and Everyone’s Responsibility: How to Bring about Real Culture Change The recent legislation changes sparked by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) Respect @Work report, means that workplaces now have a positive duty to actively prevent harassment in the workplace. This means that now more than ever workplaces are required to …
(From left to right) Tom Harley, CEO of Sydney Swans; Emily Caska, Down Syndrome NSW CEO; Ellen Hester, Down Syndrome NSW Employee; Carly Wilkinson, Principal – Digital and Innovation – at Symmetra; Mon Schafter, Twenty10 Co-chair; Craig Foster, Addi Road Ambassador Symmetra is proud to partner with one of Australia’s most beloved sporting teams the …
The modern business landscape is rapidly changing, and organisations are struggling to keep pace with the transformation of day to day workplace experience and the challenges this brings. Our Principal Consultant of Digital and Innovation Carly Wilkinson will provide in-depth insights into how we are helping our global clients scale and adopt DEI strategies to create inclusive …
There is no denying that contemporary businesses face a new set of challenges in the workplace. With the world around us constantly changing and evolving, there is little time to adjust to the transformations that are taking place in our everyday experiences. Today, the need for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplace culture is …
A massive paradigm shift and a new conceptual approach to workplace mental health hazards is about to be established by law in Australian workplaces. What has already begun and what will continue to be implemented are laws and regulations at both Federal and State levels, requiring employers to implement comprehensive and systemic measures to minimise …
Gathering DEI data in organisations is often a first step in implementing a comprehensive DEI strategy. However, DEI surveys and data-gathering exercises may expose organisations to legal pitfalls. In particular, these surveys must comply with changing privacy and data protection legislation which has been expanding rapidly across the globe in recent years. This legislation impacts …
We’re excited to announce that Symmetra Connect is back! We will be organising events from July to November 2022 based on several thought-provoking topics in diversity and inclusion. Symmetra will be partnering with Herbert Smith Freehills—the hosts of these sessions. The first two sessions will be taking place in Sydney and Melbourne on the topic …