Organisations should put more focus on people skills when appointing line managers, and provide training to prevent bullying grievances boiling over into court, according to Fair Work Commission senior deputy president Jonathan Hamberger.
A worker's repeated refusals to follow dispute resolution procedures when complaining about bullying amounted to "rank insubordination", and warranted his dismissal, the Fair Work Commission has ruled.
Senior leaders are more positive about their organisations' support for LGBTI inclusion than their staff, according to a survey report that says perceptions of workplace initiatives aren't matching up with people's experiences, and that some employees still believe gay jokes and innuendo are "harmless fun".
In some of the key cases handed down in the anti-bullying jurisdiction so far, the Fair Work Commission has provided useful guidance on what constitutes "repeated unreasonable behaviour", but also raised concerns about the scope of orders it can make.
A purely policy-driven approach to workplace bullying will not change behaviour because it only tackles the issue at a logical level, according to professional speaker and trainer Blythe Rowe.
Employers have no automatic right to legal representation when defending claims in the anti-bullying jurisdiction, despite popular belief to the contrary, according to DLA Piper senior associate Elizabeth Ticehurst.
Strong informal processes can prevent many bullying complaints from escalating into full-blown claims and legal action, but only if employers avoid common mistakes with them, says employment lawyer Jordan Tilse.
Gender transition is an "enormously confronting" issue, but a supportive work environment can literally mean the difference between life or death for employees who are going through - or contemplating - the process, according to Captain Cate McGregor.
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