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New workplace laws came into effect on 6 March 2023 that makes workplace sexual harassment unlawful, with a positive duty on employers to eliminate: · workplace sexual harassment, sex discrimination and sex-based harassment, · conduct that amounts to subjecting a person to a hostile workplace environment on the grounds of sex, and · certain acts of victimisation. This means that employers can be liable for sexual harassment that arises in connection with work. Like work health safety legislation, employers are required to demonstrate that they took all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in connection with work. Policies and procedures alone do not mitigate this risk, however, when accompanied by a training program, it will assist in demonstrating your commitment to zero tolerance to such behaviour in the workplace. If you do not have the budget to engage an external trainer, you may wish to consider using the Workplace Sexual Harassment training module from the Fair Work Commission. It is approximately 20-30 minutes long and is appropriate for all employees, irrespective of their position. The training module includes interactive components to embed the knowledge. Certificates of completion are provided to participants who register (or log into) the Fair Work Ombudsman’s portal. One way you may wish to consider delivering this training is to run an in-house session for all your staff and use this opportunity to discuss the questions and examples. At the end of the training, and as a team, you may wish to review your policies/procedures to ensure that it meets your business needs. You may find the information on Role of Policy on Workplace Culture useful in assisting with developing your policy/procedures. If you need further assistance and/or support in to meet your obligations, including training, please contact us at admin@epollardconsulting.com.au. Information provided in this article is general in nature. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Evelyn Pollard Consulting provides no warranty as to its accuracy, reliability, or completeness. Before taking any course of action as a result of reading this article you are advised to make your own inquiries and seek independent advice (including the appropriate legal advice) on whether the most suitable action for your circumstances.

Do I need to give an employee a written warning before terminating their employment? Three strikes and you’re out? Not in the workplace it seems. Although encouraged, employers do not need to issue a written warning before terminating their employee’s employment, let alone three. Let me put this to you; would you give someone three warnings if it was found that they had stolen from you or put someone’s life in danger? I would hope not! Sometimes this issue may not be as black and white as you think, so before you start exiting your employees, let’s take a moment to look at a few areas that may have an impact on the decision you may make. What does your employment contract and/or policy/procedure say? If the employee’s employment contract clearly details the procedures needed to be followed before you can terminate their employment, then you must follow these – no short cuts here I’m afraid! Once more, if your procedures refer to the issuing of warnings as part of the disciplinary process, then again, you will need to follow them – I repeat, no short cuts here! Both of the above scenarios will play a part in any unfair dismissal claim that may arise, so maybe it is time to have a look at your documents to see what they say. Do I need procedures outlined in the employment contract or in a policy/procedure? While it is not a legislative requirement to have these procedures detailed in an employment contract, the contract should reference that the employee is to follow your policies and procedures at all times. Similarly, there is no legislative requirement to have a policy/procedure in place. However, having such a document will assist you in taking disciplinary action, including termination of employment. It will also provide staff with a clear outline as to how the disciplinary process will be undertaken. Which is better – employment contract or policy/procedure? Having detailed procedures outlined in the employment contract means that they are unable to be changed without the consent of the employee. You could get around this by providing a contract variation, however again, any changes to the employment arrangement requires agreement by both parties. On the other hand, a policy/procedure may be changed without agreement by both parties. The catch – you need to consult with employees on the change. By consult, I mean give them the document, outline what is being changed and why, ask them for feedback, consider the feedback, and then make the decision on the changes based on the information received. What do I need to give a warning for? The most common need for a warning is when your employee is not performing their duties. If an employee is not up their performance standards, then you need to issue them with a warning so that they are given a chance to correct themselves. They may not realise they are not performing or may not realise the consequence of doing so. A written warning allows the employee to become aware of the areas they need to improve on and a timeframe in which to make the changes. Both of these points reduce your chances of receiving an unfair dismissal claim. On the other hand, if the employee engages in inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, like showing up under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work, inappropriate behaviour, regular lateness for work, theft, fraud, serious breach of WHS that puts another person’s life at risk, or refusing to carry out work duties (just to name a few), then you may issue a first and final written warning. This step gives your employee notice that this behaviour will not be tolerated in the workplace. This is where it is recommended that the ‘three strikes and you’re out’ rule would definitely not be applied. What if I only give a verbal warning? Verbal warnings still count as a warning. They are generally given as part of a ‘correction’ to change behaviour and/or performance. However, a written warning is better used as evidence should there be an unfair dismissal claim made against you. Having a written warning also ensures that the employee cannot disregard your requests or say, ‘you didn’t tell me’. What if the behaviour is serious? Where there is a serious incident that has put the business at risk (reputation and/or financial), and it has been thoroughly investigated and confirmed by yourself, then you may wish to terminate the employment. This step is not to be used as a quick fix or spur of the moment decision making. I would strongly recommend that if you are planning to head down this path, that you ensure that you have all your ‘ducks lined up’ as you will need documented evidence to support your decision, including that the employee was aware of the consequences of their actions. So, the rule of three? It's a myth. Though you are more than welcome to have a ‘three strike policy’ when it comes to warnings, it is not legally required before terminating an employee’s position. For more information or for further assistance with disciplinary procedures, do not hesitate to contact us on 0447 245 691, email us at admin@epollardconsulting.com.au, or visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website. Information provided in this article is general in nature. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Evelyn Pollard Consulting provides no warranty as to its accuracy, reliability, or completeness. Before taking any course of action as a result of reading this article you are advised to make your own inquiries and seek independent advice (including the appropriate legal advice) on whether the most suitable action for your circumstances.

The thought of managing a staff member’s performance and/or conduct can be both daunting and/or frustrating for any leader. Daunting, because there are so many stories and scare tactics aimed at reducing the confidence of a leader, and frustrating, because leaders often feel like they are caught up in “red tape” about what one can and cannot do in managing a staff member’s performance and/or conduct. This is exacerbated even more if you are new to a leadership role. I am often asked, "What is the impact on staff morale if a leader chooses to turn a blind eye to poor performance or conduct?" My response is always, significant! Case Study To give you an example of what I mean by “significant”, let me introduce you a business with 115 staff members. I had only been in the role for 2 months when staff started visiting my office seeking assistance in how deal with a colleague who is not performing and/or behaving poorly. Taken back, I asked the question, “Why are you not raising this with your respective manager?”. The response back was, “He/she is not interested in dealing with it. I do not trust them to handle it appropriately.” Thinking that this was a one off, I provided the staff member with the advice needed. Before long, the more staff had approached me. The flood gates were opened! This resulted in me exploring the issue further. Poor Culture The business has been struggling with a poor culture for several years. To identify the root cause of the poor culture, the business conducted several employee opinion surveys over a period of 4 years. In the most recent opinion survey, staff indicated that they did not believe management addressed poor performers or bad/poor behaviours, and that this in turn impacted upon their morale. I decided to delve further into the results during a face to face workshop with staff. They expressed views that they no longer felt the desire to make the effort to “go the extra mile” when they see poor performers in their area do nothing and still be rewarded or recognised as a team. What the staff were telling me, was that the leaders should start addressing poor performance and/or conduct rather than ignore it. Staff Wellbeing I also started to see evidence that this was also having an impact on staff wellbeing – their mental health. This is not something to be taken lightly. Staff were starting to use the term “stressed” because management would not act on their concerns. Now this is serious stuff! The cost of workplace stress is significant. SafeWork Australia has identified an increase in stress related claims, with: 7,200 Australians are compensated for work-related mental health conditions, equating to around 6% of workers’ compensation claims, and approximately $543 million is paid in workers’ compensation for work-related mental health conditions. They found that work-related stress had been linked with high levels of: unplanned absences including sick leave staff turnover withdrawal and presenteeism, and poor work and poor product quality. Source: https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/topic/mental-health That is serious stuff! And the impact on staff morale? Significant! If staff see inaction from their leaders to address performance and/or conduct concerns, then of course morale will decline, absenteeism increases, and wellbeing deteriorates. Imagine working in an environment that is so toxic, that you feel undervalued and not appreciated. You would not want to present to work each day now would you? Understanding the Gaps So back to the case study. With the information from staff at hand, the business could choose to ignore it, or they could attempt to understand where the gaps were. My next step was then to meet with the leaders 1:1 to understand what barriers they faced. These meetings were eye opening with the range of responses being that they address performance at the annual performance review time, through to I am not supported by my executive team member to address performance and/or poor behaviour. In between these two extremes were the usual, I am not sure how. During my 1:1 discussions with the leaders, it became evident that the business was extremely risk averse and that this also contributed to the confidence of the leader to address poor performance and poor conduct. A risk averse organisation instils fear into their leaders – fear of punishment (“stick”) for making the wrong decision. This is exacerbated by complex industrial legislation. Way forward The way forward for this business was to empower its leaders to manage poor performance and/or conduct, and the way this was achieved was for me to start referring staff concerns back to their respective managers. This was done with care and compassion through me being the initial link between the staff member and their manager. This allowed the opportunity for me to identify individual gaps in the leader’s ability and then to coach the respective manager in the process. As a result of the coaching and facilitation, staff became more confident in taking their concerns to their respective manager to handle. Key Takeaways I am a strong believer of giving people an opportunity to improve. Think of it along the lines of, if it were you, what would you appreciate? Sometimes, the staff member is unaware of their behaviour and/or conduct, and as a leader, you have a duty of care to ensure the wellbeing of all your staff. Equally, as a leader, the thought of managing poor performance and/or conduct can be daunting as well as frustrating. There are so many variables and there is not a one size fits all approach. The first step in any performance or conduct matter is to address the issue promptly. This could be as simple as asking the employee if “everything is okay”. Sometimes, there could be underlying issues that are impacting on the staff member’s performance. When speaking to the staff member, share your concerns about the impact their performance and/or conduct is having on others within the team. Talk to them about the expectations and place a timeframe on it. It is important to keep the timeframe tight – immediate to one/two weeks. Once you have met with the employee, document the discussion, as this will become critical if things do not improve. Most importantly of all, if you are struggling with the process or the context of the concerns raised with you, please seek professional assistance. You are not expected to know it all and sometimes all you need is someone to talk through you particular situations and/or concerns. We are not all perfect, so it is important that we ask for help when needed. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and ask yourself “What would you like to see happen?”. The impact on staff morale and wellbeing is significant when leaders do not manage poor performance and/or conduct in a timely manner. It is important that you are proactive in commencing the discussions with the staff member and give them every opportunity to improve. If after the informal discussions the performance and/or conduct does not improve, it is time to embark on the formal process – this time it is for “keeps”. [Evelyn Pollard is a human resource, organisational development and industrial relations specialist with extensive experience both at a strategic and operational level. Evelyn is passionate about building organisational capability through facilitating, leading, coaching, mentoring and developing people and successful teams. Further information can be viewed at www.epollardconsulting.com.au ] #Leadership #PerformanceManagement #Culture #Wellbeing

I was recently asked to assist a business owner to have conversations with their staff informing them there was no work for them as a result of the restrictions being placed on them due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The emotion of the owner's face said it all. It was a gut-wrenching experience, one that even the seasoned HR professional like me found very difficult. Letting go of staff is not an easy choice to make; particularly as the decision you are making will impact on the livelihood of others. Therefore, it is important to show compassion with all of your actions and communication — which I am very confident you are doing. For many, your staff are like family, and you feel a sense of helplessness in this current situation. This is natural. During this challenging period, it is important that you keep on the ‘right side’ of the employment legislation. Below are some key points to keep in mind as we all navigate these unprecedented circumstances. Standing down staff Stand downs should be exercised with caution, with the employer being able to demonstrate that: There is a stoppage of work. The staff members that are being stood down are not able to be usefully employed within the business. The cause of the stoppage must also be one that the employer cannot reasonably be held responsible for. It is important to also keep in mind that an employer is unable to stand staff down because of a deterioration of business conditions or because an employee has COVID-19. Other key points to keep in mind include: Employers are not required to pay staff during the stand down period, however they may choose to do so. Staff accrue leave as normal for the duration of the stand down. A staff member who is taking authorised paid or unpaid leave is deemed to be absent and is not considered to be stood down during this period. Where practicable other options to consider If you currently find yourself in a position to let staff go, you may wish to consider the following instead of standing them down: Seeking staff agreement to take paid (or unpaid) leave for a period. Where possible, ask staff to work from home. In limited circumstances, directing staff to take paid annual leave. In limited circumstances, negotiating with staff to change regular rosters or hours of work. Terminating the employment of staff; in which case the employer may have to provide redundancy pay. If you are in doubt of what your obligations are, please visit the Fair Work Ombudsman’s website www.fairwork.gov.au. They have a special page available to support businesses during this period. Looking after yourself As for yourself, the saying ‘you need to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others’ is critical. I encourage you to avail yourself of key support, whether that is personal or professional/business. Communication with your trusted business advisor or accountant during this period is also critical as they will be able to provide the much-needed support to navigate the coming months. Many councils and the Regional Development Australia offices are providing low cost or free support to businesses in need. I would encourage you reach out to them and access their services. These are unprecedent times, so please reach out if you need any assistance with regards to sourcing key information, next steps with regards to your staff, or even to have a chat. You are not alone; we are all in this together. [Evelyn Pollard is a human resource and workforce specialist with extensive experience at both a strategic and operational level in human resource management, work health safety, injuyry management, customer service, change management and continuous improvement. She works closely with businesses to navigate the complex legislative environment that surrounds looking after their people. Evelyn has assisted businesses across many industry sectors including hopsitality, engineering, fitness, local and state government, manufacturing, transport and hair and beauty. Further information can be viewed at www.epollardconsulting.com.au]

Our world as we know it is changing and, as business owners/leaders, we are finding ourselves in unfamiliar territory each day. Many business owners/leaders are sharing that they are beginning to question their behaviour and decisions as the fall out of letting staff go starts to be realised. This is closely followed by the question of whether they could have done things differently. Before we start going down the path of ‘guilt’, it is important to keep in mind that we are all dealing with very challenging times, both from a health and economic perspective. As a result, we all process the information we receive in different ways and at different times. Therefore, it is important that we take a moment to pause and consider what is happening on a personal level for both ourselves and our staff. We are all grieving – you, your staff, your suppliers, your customers, and your family and friends. We are in flight or fight mode at the moment. The speed of how the situation has evolved has caught many of us by surprise and as a result, we have not had time to take a breath and consider what is happening for each of us. Stages of Grief When something negative or challenging happens in our lives, we go through several stages including: · Denial · Anger · Bargaining · Depression · Acceptance Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and David Kessler have written a number of articles and books on the stages of grief including what are the ‘best and worst things to say’ to people as they navigate their grief. I would encourage you to have a read as this will provide you with some valuable information and tools in supporting your staff. Your own wellbeing Before you can take care of anyone else, you first need to ensure that you are looking after yourself. The saying “You can’t pour from an empty cup” is so true in these times. If you do not look after yourself, then you will not be able to help those around you, including your staff. Many business owners/leaders that I have spoken to have found benefit in: · Connecting and having a chat with someone you trust. · Going for a walk (practicing social/physical distancing). · Taking time out to read that book you have always wanted to read. · Chatting via Skype/Zoom/Facetime with your family and friends. · Switching off from social media for a day. The key is to pause and take a moment to look after yourself, including availing yourself of the support services that are available. Connecting with your staff Where you have had the difficult task of letting staff go, it is important to try and stay connected with them. This can be through a few channels including: · Setting up a closed group through social media. · Through a communication/newsletter (or similar) sent out through your HR/Payroll system or via email. · An SMS. · Scheduling in a virtual catch-up. Staying in touch with your staff, to check in and see how they are going, and to share how you are going are key to building a positive workplace. In doing so, be mindful of using language that reflects compliance. Try and find another ways of sharing news that is "compliance" driven. For example 'we value your health and wellbeing and are keen to .....' or '....look after yourelf first and we can work the details out when you return.....', or '...... that has not been our usual approach, can you please share how we can make this work in line with our current policy .....', etc As your staff progress through to the ‘acceptance’ phase, you may find that they are more open to exploring innovative solutions. Connecting and communicating with your staff also provides you with the ability to share the outcomes of the potential solutions that you have explored. Again, use encouraging language that engenders care and connection, ask lots of questions and allow the staff member to come up with a solution. Caring for your staff The compassion and care you show to your staff, through asking them if they are okay and reminding them of the support that is available to them, will be invaluable. There are many agencies out there to support each and everyone one of us during this period, including: · Beyond Blue · Black Dog Institute · Lifeline · Headspace As we come out on the ‘other side’ of this, or any other adverse situation, your staff will remember how you made them feel through your connection and communication. Please reach out if you would like to talk through strategies for keeping connected with your staff during this period of uncertainty. [Evelyn Pollard is a human resource and workforce specialist with extensive experience at both a strategic and operational level in human resource management, work health safety, injury management, customer service, change management and continuous improvement. She works closely with businesses to navigate the complex legislative environment that surrounds looking after their people. Evelyn has assisted businesses across many industry sectors including hospitality, engineering, fitness, local and state government, manufacturing, transport and hair and beauty. Further information can be viewed at www.epollardconsulting.com.au]

I have spent many years assisting leaders with managing performance, however when I progressed into a management role, I got to experience what many leaders feel when embarking on their “own” performance management journey. Daunting? Yes! Frustrating? Yes! Doable? Absolutely! Managing poor performance and/or conduct is never a pleasant experience, let’s just get that out there. Despite my experience in this arena, I never enjoy embarking on the formal process. Not even when I embarked on my first management role. As leaders, we want to be “liked”, “trusted” and “respected”. I am sure there are many other words that could be used to describe what you would like to be seen as by your team. However, when it comes to managing poor performance and/or conduct, we seem to allow these “wants” to get in the way to sound process. My first experience As a new graduate into the realm of HR, I recall my first ever experience in assisting a leader manage a staff member’s performance. I knew the process, legislation, implications, etc, however I didn’t want to be seen as being “too harsh”. So I found myself guiding the leader to allow the poor performing staff member to “lengthen the string”. This resulted in the staff member’s performance not improving and the process becoming agonisingly long winded. The leader started to lose confidence in the process, and the staff member was “gloating” about “winning”. Morale in the area was declining as staff started to see that both the leader and the HR officer were not taking control of the situation, the poor performing employee was in control. After a rocky start, both the leader and I managed to get the situation back under control, putting in place tight timeframes and accountabilities. The staff member’s performance started improving, however it took some time before morale and trust from other staff members was restored. It got easier After such a “rocky” start, I got stronger and more confident. I started to depersonalise the process. This did not mean that I depersonalised the person, it meant that I dealt with these matters in a professional manner with open and honest communication. I started to take the approach that everyone can succeed, if provided the opportunity to do so. Then I looked at the process from a legislative perspective, what was required to ensure a fair and reasonable process. With this in place, I started to look at the impacts of poor performance on the bottom line for the business, and for staff morale. As you can see, when you place such a lens over the subject, it becomes easier to embark on managing poor performance and/or conduct. From that point on, I took a coaching perspective and guided leaders through the process. Every HR practitioner, legal representative and leader will have their own style in dealing with a performance management and/or conduct matter. For me, I like to keep things simple. Set the person up for success Everyone comes to work to do their best. I have yet to see a person come to work thinking about how they can perform badly! So when their performance has started to decline, take a moment to connect with the staff member and learn more from them. Questions you might want to consider include: Does the staff member understand their role and/or responsibilities? Are they aware of their poor performance and/or conduct? Does the staff member have the knowledge, skills and resources to perform their role? Are there any obstructions and/or personal issues impacting on their performance and/or behaviour? Is the workload too much for the staff member? Does the staff member feel undervalued? In an informal setting, you may wish to explore the above questions further. You might be surprised to hear that the staff member was not aware of their poor performance and/or conduct. With the information you have gathered, it is recommended that you take appropriate action, including documenting all meetings and outcomes. Key tip to remember is to ensure that the staff member is aware of expectations, including the timeframe for the change to occur. When embarking on such conversations, I always encourage the leader to offer the staff member access to counselling services such as an Employee Assistance Program. Why? As I indicated above, not all staff come to work wanting to do a “bad” job or behave badly, so if the conversation you have with them may come as a shock and you have a duty of care as a leader to ensure that your staff member has access to support services. Follow Up It is tempting to have just one meeting with the staff member and expect that they understood the message, however, I would recommend that you set a follow up meeting – no more than 2 weeks after your last catch up. You may wish to consider two follow up meetings – this will depend upon the conversation and/or the nature of the concerns. This will ensure that the staff member feels supported and is aware of the expectations. One trap many leaders fall in is that they need to wait until the scheduled meetings to address any concerns in meeting the expectations set. It is critical that if you witness or become aware of the performance and/or behaviour declining, the leader should address it immediately – not wait. If you wait, it can be seen as that it was not that important, or an issue at all! Importance of Documentation One of the common comments I receive from leaders is “Why do I have to document my actions”. My response is always “As evidence of procedural fairness”. It demonstrates what action you took, what was agreed, timeframes, and expectations. It becomes critical in the event that you will need to progress the formal process. I have been involved in many cases, where the documentation is not available. This does make things problematic when things get very serious. You need to be able to demonstrate the actions you took and why. Many leaders say, I will document things when it becomes formal. Again, I would say document all meetings right from the start. Make your life easier as trying to recall dates, times and content can be challenging 1 week after the event, let alone 4-6 weeks later! Another question I often get is “How detailed should my documentation be?” My recommendation has been that leaders should document key points in dot point form. This can be in the form of diary notes, file notes, or a memo – the choice is up to the individual. Key takeaways Address the poor performance and/or conduct as soon as you become aware of it. Put yourself in the staff member’s “shoes” and start with having a conversation with them – connect and understand. This process is not all about being “nice” and wanting to be “liked”. It is about ensuring business success through staff delivering. No one comes to work wanting to do a poor job, so set them up for success based on their responses and follow up to ensure that they are on track. Do not wait until the “wheels” fall off, or the next meeting, to address any decline or lack of progress with the agreed expectations – get in there promptly. Most importantly, if you feel that matters are not improving within a reasonable timeframe, then take action through following your formal processes. Performance management is not easy, however, it is a critical process that needs to be followed to ensure both the business and staff are successful. I have found that while it does become easier each time you tackle a performance management matter, one always hopes that it would be the last! [Evelyn Pollard is a human resource, organisational development and industrial relations specialist with extensive experience both at a strategic and operational level. Evelyn is passionate about building organisational capability through facilitating, leading, coaching, mentoring and developing people and successful teams. Further information can be viewed at www.epollardconsulting.com.au ] #PerformanceManagement #Culture #Leadership

It seems quite simple really – reward and recognise those who are doing great work. However what does “great work” really mean? The determination of “great work” can be quite subjective and many organisations often struggle implementing a meaningful program. I recall one program whereby staff had to nominate another staff member. The nomination involves ticking boxes that were linked to the culture expectations. There was no real need to provide detailed information – just a short summary of where the employee went over and above their normal duties. All nominations were then signed off by the nominee’s respective manager and director before being forwarded to the HR team for processing. The program started off positively and there were a lot of fantastic examples where staff went beyond their normal duties and contributed positively to the organisation’s culture. However, the program soon started to lose its purpose. Nominations started to come in from staff that were very loosely linked to the desired culture, however it started to become a means by which staff could achieve financial gains. The meaning of the program was lost. I have seen other programs where staff are rewarded monetarily for their efforts to improve the organisation’s culture, and over time, the program starts to lose its intention and then slowly dissolves. When rewards and recognition programs fail, staff then feel undervalued. Organisations then seek ideas and input from staff to implement a refreshed rewards and program. Staff often cite the initiatives such as dinner vouchers, weekends away, movie tickets, monetary contribution, the list goes on – think Google! However, when asked to set the criteria and assessment methodology for which the reward is issued, staff often come up with suggestions that are either not measurable or are not linked to the organisation’s strategic direction. So herein starts the dilemma for the smaller enterprises, not for profits, NGO’s and public sector. Simon Sinek articulates in his TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” the powerful model of asking “Why” that can be applied to any area of the business to inspire the best possible outcome. There are many options that could be considered as a rewards and recognition program. However, before any organisation embarks on a reward and recognition program, they should ask “Why”. Why do you need a rewards and recognition program? Research undertaken by Insync Surveys Pty Ltd identified that 54% of senior leadership team members of a high-performance organisation go out of their way to acknowledge and thank people for their contribution, compared to 27% for low-performance organisations. Could it be that a formal rewards and recognition program is not as effective as a simple “Thank you” from a senior leadership team member? This is certainly a question that should be asked as part of exploring the “Why”. Once you have answered the “Why”, then you can move to engaging with the staff on the “How” – how will the program work – and then “What” – what will the program look like. It is critical that communication of the “Why” is undertaken before engaging staff on developing the “How” and “What”. Keep in mind that what works for one organisation may not work for your organisation. Any program needs to be tailored for the individual organisation, based on “Why” it is needed. References: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action http://www.insyncsurveys.com.au/resources/articles/newsletter/2013/03/7-organisational-habits-that-drive-high-performance/

As our children grow up, we give them boundaries – parameters to operate within. We encourage them to “try” activities, food and experiences. They all make mistakes along the way and we are there to encourage them to “try” again – learn from their mistakes. However, once we are in the workforce, we often find that we are required to follow “rules” (aka policies), and if we break the “rules” we find ourselves having to answer to a higher authority – “told off”. Let’s think about this for a moment. We encourage children to grow and learn – take a risk, and then take this opportunity away when we reach the workforce as an adult! It does not make sense. Many organisational values encompass words such as “growth and learning”, “trust”, “empower”, “lead” – the list goes on. However, if you delve a little further you will find numerous prescriptive policies and processes. Is this in-congruent with the espoused organisational values? One organisation that I worked with had 26 dedicated HR related policies and this figure did not including injury management or work health safety policies. I delved further into the content of the policies and found that they were very prescriptive. When I asked the senior leadership team why they needed so many HR policies, the response I received was that it was important that the leaders and staff had “rules” to follow – to reduce the risk to the organisation. My first thought was wow, followed by the second thought which was, what was the culture like? A review of the staff surveys indicated that the culture needed some work in areas of trust and valuing staff – I wasn't surprised. I was also aware that many of the middle leadership group were afraid to go outside of the rules, fearing “punishment”! When one looks at the definition of culture, it is described as “the way we do things around here”. By having so many prescriptive policies it restricts the growth of an organisation’s culture, resulting in a risk averse culture. No one grows in this type of environment. If a leader needs to have prescriptive “rules” to assist them to make decisions, then one questions whether they are the right person for the role. The role of a leader is to inspire and enable their staff – not “rule” them. It is important to be clear that leaders still need to hold staff accountable for achieving outcomes. Should there be HR policies in place – absolutely, however my view is that the policies should be broad guidelines that are aligned with the direction and values of the organisation, and that allows the respective leader to make the best decisions for his/her team. If an organisation needs to put in place such prescriptive rules for leader to administer, then one must ask whether the organisation has the right leaders in place. Let’s reduce the number of HR policies to those legislatively required and then provide a broad outline of expectations and allow the leaders to lead and make decisions. Trust is an outcome and that can be achieved through empowering leaders to lead and encouraging staff to learn from their mistakes.