How technology makes Respect@Work more human

In November, the government Anti-Discrimination/Human Rights Act Amendment BillImplement the recommendations from Respect@Work Report.

The passage of the bill requires employers to enhance transparency, compliance, reporting and governance on matters related to human rights, gender equality and discrimination.

Siled system

However, many organizations struggle to meet their obligations because HR data is often siled across many disparate systems. This limits the effectiveness of organizations maintaining these important regulations. Without careful planning and preparation, HR professionals will struggle to meet their new responsibilities.

Businesses can’t afford to waste man hours, track data, or put it at risk by storing critical data in outdated systems. The pandemic has shown how digital transformation efforts can improve productivity and efficiency. These lessons must be applied to manage additional HR compliance, accountability, and reporting efforts after legislative changes.

The Respect@Work report, released in 2020, sets the course for change and shines a spotlight on the prevalence of sexual harassment in the Australian workplace. Recently passed legislation includes recommendations such as affirmative mandates and a ban on hostile working conditions to help address alarming levels of problems identified in the 2018 Australian Human Rights Commission report. contained. National survey about workplace sexual harassment.

By adopting fully digital HR case management, incident reporting and data management, companies can stay ahead of the curve. The reality is that new obligations are too important and complex to be managed with legacy systems and spreadsheets.

no time to waste

The Women’s Gender Equality Act (WGEA) was passed in 2012 to mandate reporting for non-public sector employees. Even though these reporting requirements are 10 years old, many organizations still struggle with the complexity of her WGEA reporting and need to plan and future-proof their internal systems and processes. emphasizes why is important. In 2021 there was still 126 companies listed as non-compliant Meets WGEA requirements.

Technology solutions can ensure a discreet, seamless, and timely experience when managing HR cases. This will make data more easily accessible and will make the trend clearer to meet the increasing governance requirements mandated by the latest legislation.

safety and security

This information is intended to help the human resources team and management identify trend peaks and flows, such as when harassment cases may increase in a particular month or when certain types of harassment have increased. Very important because it is essential. This enables businesses to meet their proactive obligations by accessing quality reports and better detecting, managing and mitigating situations before they occur.

And with the latest technology tools, a much higher level of security can be achieved. This has become an urgent priority after high-profile hacks in 2022. Storing highly personal information in simple tools and documents does not provide sufficient privacy and protection.

Having technology solutions to support case management and assigning actions to people means that all necessary steps are taken to ensure care for people experiencing difficult experiences such as harassment and discrimination. It means that

take action

As the Respect@Work report made clear, more attention needs to be paid to ensure that sexual harassment is reduced in Australia. The best way to ensure that workplaces are managing these issues and responsibilities through empathetic, careful and auditable processes is to employ holistic technology solutions. It not only records events, but also ensures timely follow-up of all related actions.

Identifying and investing in the right solution doesn’t just help protect your employees. It also lays the groundwork for future opportunities to expand the way technology is used internally and increase the potential productivity of your organization.

Now is the time to start thinking about how to address these requirements at work with the necessary compassion and effectiveness. Leaders who do not take action may find themselves on the wrong side of the law in the future.

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