Best Practice Workshops

The Workplace Research Centre, with Australian Business Lawyers, is pleased to present its new Best Practice workshops. Evolving from our more introductory Building Block courses, these tutorial workshops are designed to provide you with in-depth exploration of individual workplace issues. To maintain learning quality, numbers attending each workshop must unfortunately be limited.

To obtain full benefit it is highly recommended you also attend the corresponding Masterclass workshop, where available, usually run on the afternoon of the same day (please see Masterclass workshops)

Best Practice Workshops   New in 2009	Duration	esp. suit frontline managers	esp. suit ER & HR
Managing Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying	0.5 day
Management of Ill and Injured Employees	0.5 day
Performance, Discipline and Terminations Management	0.5 day
Contracts of Employment and Organisational Policies	1 day
Investigating Grievances and Other Issues	0.5 day

Discounted packages are available when registering for more than one Best Practice session - please see our Packages.

To combine attendance at the Essential Employee Relations Building Block Course and Best Practice Workshops, please see our value 'Building Blocks Plus Package'.

Please see the Open Courses Timetable for availability.

Managing Discrimination, Harassment & Bullying

As with all our Best Practice workshops, this session has a strong focus on practical workplace application – identifying when unacceptable behaviour occurs, intervening to reduce the risk of escalation and having a preventive mindset. The legal context - respective liabilities, responsibilities and rights - will be explained, including as these relate to organisational policies and procedures. Recommended options for responding to allegations will be explored – priority actions, what to avoid and strategies to avert future incidences of discrimination, bullying and harassment in your workplace.

Management of Ill & Injured Employees

Employees can be affected by illness and injury arising from employment or from activities outside of work. This can lead to reduced capacity to work, even substantial absence from work. What are the various laws which can come into play? What practical steps should be taken in difficult situations, such as the prospect of ongoing employment being diminished by injury? This session addresses practical issues around return to work, impact on other staff, risk minimisation strategies and the relevant legal framework - including with respect to compensation, health and safety, discrimination, privacy and termination.

Performance, Discipline & Terminations Management

In order to complement your organisational policies and procedures, this session aims to bolster people in positions of responsibility lacking the ability to act with full confidence when faced with workplace disciplinary and performance issues. The need is especially acute where conduct or performance issues may lead to termination of employment (whether initiated by the employee or employer). Content includes unfair and unlawful terminations, ensuring substantive and procedural fairness and the impact of the new legislation.

Contracts of Employment & Organisational Policies

The employment relationship is essentially contractual in nature and the rules regarding employment should be clear and complete. Both employer and the employee need to know where they stand. It makes good business, legal and industrial sense to set out in writing the employment relationship – and how this will be implemented. This session covers preparing and implementing effective employment contracts and policies in support of the organisation’s vision and strategic objectives - in particular: fundamental terms; special conditions such as confidential information; the relationship with awards and agreements and the use of offset provisions; probationary clauses; organisational policies; termination.

Investigating Grievances and Other Issues

Recent court decisions show that employers can place themselves at legal risk if they ignore complaints and grievances, or do not respond promptly and appropriately. Day-to-day issues can include employee performance and conduct, interpersonal conflict, complaints arising from allegations of harassment etc. Whatever the cause of a formal grievance, it requires investigation. This session covers the skills and techniques for successfully investigating employee complaints and grievances such as: responsiveness, asking the right questions; making findings based upon the evidence; ensuring procedural fairness and natural justice.

Discounted packages are available when registering for more than one Best Practice session - please see our Packages.

To combine attendance at the Essential Employee Relations Building Block Course and Best Practice Workshops, please see our value 'Building Blocks Plus Package'.

Please see the Open Courses Timetable for availability.