Quick Answer
Training tells people what is expected. An incident reporting policy tells them what to do when something goes wrong: what to report, who to tell, how to report it and what happens next. Without one, incidents such as bullying, harassment or unsafe work often go unreported, and leaders cannot see what is happening. This post is the fifth of the seven common workplace compliance mistakes. This is general information, not legal advice.
In this guide
Workplace compliance goes well beyond just training your staff.
Many organisations make an effort to educate their people on things such as health and safety, privacy, bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
However, most do not back it up with appropriate workplace policies and procedures to guide their people in the event of a workplace incident. This is a big mistake that most organisations make.
Unfortunately, those employers that make this mistake do not have regard for the impacts that it has on their people and the risk it presents to their business.
So let’s look at what can happen if we do not have workplace policies in place.
If an employee is treated unlawfully and there are no workplace policies in place, they may feel confused and alone and not know how to approach the situation. They may also not know who they can go to for support.
Unfortunately, this means that many workplace incidents go unreported, often leading to continued unlawful behaviour and isolation for the victim. This also causes discomfort for their co-workers who have to witness the behaviour.
When workplace incidents are not reported, senior leaders are blind to what is really going on in the workplace. This is damaging to a business because, over time, inappropriate behaviour leads to increased absenteeism, staff turnover and lost productivity.
In the case of serious unlawful behaviour, things can get out of control very quickly, and this presents a massive risk to employees and the overall business.
Yes, most of us would understand that workplace policies are important.
Whilst you may be thinking. Well, if you were being treated inappropriately or your safety was at risk, is it not common sense to make it known?
In some ways, you are not wrong, but you are also not right either. Workplace policies are important because they communicate to the employee what to do in the event of a workplace incident. They point them in the direction of a supervisor or manager for support. They make it clear that action needs to be taken because it is inappropriate and that unlawful behaviour is not tolerated in the workplace.
The best employers also train their supervisors and managers on how to handle situations where a staff member reports a workplace incident. But that’s another important topic for another day! Our guide on how to investigate a complaint of workplace bullying covers one part of it.
But unfortunately, common sense is not always common practice.
This leads to hidden costs of non-compliance, as mentioned above. Industry surveys, exit interviews, and lost time injury reports all lead to a massive shift in absenteeism, staff turnover, lost productivity, mental health issues and reputational damage.
Not having appropriate workplace policies in place also exposes your business to claims of legal liability. This is because, in the eyes of the law, an employer must take all reasonable steps to keep their people safe and protect them from unlawful behaviour in the workplace.
Having appropriate workplace policies in place to support workplace compliance training is a must.
What an Incident Reporting Policy Should Include
A good incident reporting policy is short and practical. It answers the questions an employee has in the moment:
- What to report: injuries, near misses, unsafe conditions and unlawful behaviour such as bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination. Our article on which incidents should be reported at work sets out the main types.
- Who to tell: a first point of contact, and an alternative person if the first contact is involved in the behaviour.
- How to report: in person, in writing or through a system, and whether a concern can be raised anonymously.
- What happens next: who acknowledges the report, roughly how long each step takes, and how the person will be kept informed.
- Protection: a clear statement that nobody will be victimised for raising a concern in good faith, and how information will be kept confidential.
- Notifiable incidents: who contacts the regulator when an incident is notifiable, so that step is not left to chance.
For how to write an incident report and what happens once it is lodged, see our complete guide to incident reporting.
Are you reading this blog and feeling inadequate, or do you have a sense that you may be exposed?
Then you will want to talk to your legal/HR advisor. Alternatively, for Australian businesses, you may want to check out Sentrient, which delivers workplace compliance training and also provides a workplace compliance system with a workplace policy builder for you to house all of your policies.
The team at Sentrient is making it easier for Australian businesses to do the right thing and protect themselves from the ever-increasing costs associated with breaches in safety, invasion of privacy, and workplace incidents such as bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is an incident reporting policy?
It is a short workplace policy that tells employees what to report, who to report it to, how to report it and what happens next. It covers safety incidents and also unlawful behaviour such as bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination.
2. Can employees report an incident to someone other than their manager?
They should be able to. A good incident reporting policy names an alternative contact, such as HR or another senior person, so an employee is never forced to report to the person involved in the behaviour.
3. Should an incident reporting policy cover bullying and harassment?
Yes. Many policies only describe injuries and safety hazards, which leaves people unsure how to raise bullying, harassment or discrimination. Including them, with a confidential way to report, makes it more likely those concerns are raised early. For sexual harassment, the Australian Human Rights Commission’s positive duty guidance includes reporting and response among the standards employers are expected to meet.
Next in the series: Mistake #6: most businesses have a management team that give lip service to good workplace culture.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Obligations vary by state and territory, so seek advice from a qualified professional for your situation.
