How to Avoid Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace

Organisations that avoid harassment and discrimination are usually the ones that act on the small things. Almost no serious matter starts serious. It starts as a joke nobody challenged, a nickname that stuck, or a comment a manager laughed off because the person did not seem to mind.

Three things do most of the work. Set the standard explicitly, in behavioural terms rather than legal ones, so people know what is out of bounds before they test it. Train everyone including managers, and repeat it, because a single induction module does not survive two years of turnover. And respond to the first breach visibly, because silence is read as permission by everyone watching.

The positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act now expects prevention rather than response alone, and workplace health and safety duties cover the psychosocial risk. The Australian Human Rights Commission sets out what reasonable and proportionate measures look like. This is general information rather than legal advice.

See Sentrient’s sexual harassment course, workplace bullying course and equal employment opportunity course.