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One of the key challenges that has been arising through COVID-19 is how to backfill your current team and keep the wheelhouse turning should any of your people fall ill… Succession planning is usually the domain of the C-suite or executive team, with detailed development plans for internally identified talent or sourcing strategies in place to find external talent when there are no internal resources identified to be ready to step into those senior shoes. BUT… Not all critical roles are executive or senior positions and not all executive and/or senior positions are critical – especially in this COVID-19 environment! What is less focussed on in many organisations, are the mid-level managers and supervisory roles, and the operational “core contributor” roles. The roles that keep the business going and the products and/or services flowing! Understanding what roles in your organisation are critical, may mean using a different lens than you would normally! Critical roles are those that have high impact on your business and the ability to drive your business strategy or have high levels of tacit knowledge. Specialists are roles that require specialised training and have a scarce skill set that cannot be developed inhouse or require a high initial investment. Specialists are rarely seen as critical roles, and yet, through this current pandemic, are clearly the roles that require emergency succession planning and an identified “bench” to be able to backfill quickly. Your core roles are at the heart of the organisation and form literally, the core, of your business and are also usually underestimated in their “criticality”. Workforce segmentation based on skills, investment and business impact allows you to quickly identify where you need to start with your emergency succession and/or backfill planning, and to focus your HR delivery priorities and talent strategies. Have you undertaken your emergency bench review to quickly identify your gaps and start to plan how to fill them? Building a strong bench shouldn’t be saved just for emergencies – strategic workforce planning is fundamental to a strong organisation now and moving out of this pandemic to our new normal. Head to our website for some free workforce planning to give you a starting point on how to identify and categorise your workforce to build out your critical roles and skills profiles. Alternatively, you can purchase the Six Step Simple Succession Planning Framework below. If you need support with your immediate or longer term recovery planning, please reach out for a confidential, no-obligation chat.

By Sue Williamson, UNSW and Linda Colley, CQUniversity Australia Who is meritorious, what constitutes merit, and how merit and gender targets can operate together are widely misunderstood questions, as our new research shows. We spoke with almost 300 public sector middle managers. The vast majority said they wanted “the best person for the job”. They had less idea, however, of just who that “best person” might be. Merit is assumed to be an objective standard, based on set criteria, which people meet or fail to meet. There are countless examples, however, of public positions that might not have been filled on merit. Questions are being raised about several recent high-level appointments in the Australian Public Service. While generally considered sacrosanct and enshrined in policy, in practice “merit” has been highly subjective and has waxed and waned according to social values. Until the 1960s, seemingly objective recruitment processes were highly discriminatory on the basis of class, ability and race. There were requirements for minimum health standards, certificates of good character and passes in subjects offered only in private schools. These processes were also highly gender-discriminatory. Merit was interpreted in ways that benefited men and worked against women. Examples included limits on the number of single women that could be employed, and a bar preventing married women from competing for jobs. In the 1980s, there was a brief spotlight on merit and gender. New equal employment opportunity laws established clear rules for assessing merit and monitoring gender in employment outcomes. However, waves of public management reform led to more departmental autonomy and a reduced central focus on merit and gender. Two areas of confusion Fast forward to today, and this lack of attention to how merit and gender equity can coexist has led to confusion and a simplistic understanding of merit in two main areas. The first is that managers perceive that they are hampered by process. Public sector managers largely follow a set recruitment procedure. They advertise, develop selection criteria, read resumes, shortlist, interview, check references and then appoint a suitable candidate. The problem with this is that using the same narrow method and criteria may lead to a fallacy of composition, recruiting more of the same without regard to the context and current gaps in a team. Biases can influence selection panel members’ decisions. Researchers have found that job advertisements and selection criteria may not be gender-neutral. Unconscious biases can also come into play when assessing resumes and interviewing candidates. Research shows that selection panels interrupt women more than men and ask them more follow-up questions, subtly questioning their competence. The second area of confusion relates to recruitment and gender targets. Some public sector organisations use targets to counter women’s under-representation in senior ranks. In Australia and internationally, targets have contributed to an increase in women in leadership positions. Managers we spoke with, however, were concerned that women being appointed to meet a target were “tokens”, or were chosen over better-qualified men. How do you set targets and select on merit? Merit and targets can, however, co-exist. Some managers recognised that recruiting to targets can improve organisational outcomes. Others argued that recruiting a diverse range of employees reflects the community they serve. Some managers were innovative to advance gender equity while recruiting on merit. We heard stories of senior managers directing selection panels, which had shortlisted only men, to take another look at the women applicants or to broaden their search and encourage meritorious women to apply. Managers recruiting for an ICT position reviewed the job requirements, realised the skills required were not technical but communication-based, and re-advertised based on an amended job description. This attracted more female candidates and a woman was duly appointed on merit. Additionally, for jobs requiring technical competence, managers considered that technical skills could be learned on the job over time. They viewed capability as more important. Systemic approaches work best While training for selection panels is important, systemic approaches can more effectively ensure the merit principle is upheld. Organisations may benefit from approaches that include: recruiting for capability rather than past performance providing training that recognises the myths around merit encouraging conversations to counter the pervasive misunderstanding of the merit principle. Some public sector jurisdictions are providing advice on how to undertake recruitment and selection to minimise biases and promote merit-based processes. But there is still a long way to go for this to become common knowledge. The public sector has traditionally been considered to be a model employer. Implementing leading-edge practices that combine merit, gender targets and diversity can ensure it maintains this status. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Recruit for capability using our role benchmarking approach and assessment tools. Download our policies and selection templates to support an unbiased recruitment process. Your strategy depends on the skills & capabilities of the people who execute it. Our services focus on your most critical resourcing issues and opportunities: how and where to find the right people how to grow and develop your team how to retain your critical talent how to build the skills and diversity you need for the future how to automate, outsource or offshore activities that are not your core focus

By John Quiggin The disruption of the COVID pandemic has led many of us to reconsider our relationship to work, as well as our spending priorities. Some are eager to return to pre-pandemic “normality”. Others have found working from home to be liberating and are keen to preserve their newfound autonomy. Still others, such as health workers, are simply exhausted after two years dealing with the ever-changing demands of the pandemic. One manifestation of this exhaustion has been the rise of the “anti-work’ movement”, which rejects the whole idea of paid employment as a way to organise necessary labour. A less radical response is increased interest in the idea of a four-day working week. A growing number of companies – typically in technology or professional services – are embracing the idea. Unlike the end of paid work, a four-day week is well within the realm of economic feasibility. But how much, if anything, would it cost in terms of lost production and lower wages? How did we get to a five-day work week? In 1856, Melbourne stonemasons became the first workers in the world to achieve an eight-hour working day. It’s a landmark we commemorate with a public holiday in most states and territories (called Eight Hours Day in Tasmania and Labour Day elsewhere). It took almost a century before the eight-hour day became the norm, and for the six-day week those stonemasons still worked to be reduced. But finally, in 1948, the Commonwealth Arbitration Court approved a 40-hour, five-day working week for all Australians. A five-day week brought us that great boon, the weekend. Thanks to steady increases in productivity, all this was achieved even while living standards improved steadily. Increases in leisure continued over the next few decades. In 1945 Australian workers were granted two weeks’ annual leave. This was extended to three weeks in 1963, and to four weeks in 1974. Sick leave, long service leave and an increased number of public holidays all reduced the number of hours worked per year. But the standard work week remained fixed at five days. In 1988, the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission cleared the way for the working week to be cut from 40 to 38 hours. Unionised workers in industries such as construction were able to negotiate slightly shorter hours – 36 hours a week – that made a nine-day fortnight possible (by continuing to work eight hours a day). So while they were still doing the same daily hours as in the 19th century, they were working about one-third fewer days a year. All this progress came to a halt with the era of microeconomic reform (often called neoliberalism) beginning in the 1980s. There has been no significant reduction in standard hours since. The actual number of hours worked has ebbed and flowed according to the state of the labour market, but without any clear trend. Employers have consistently favoured longer hours for their core full-time workforce, while workers and unions have pushed for better work-life balance. Benefits and costs Some Australian workers already work a nine-day fortnight. (There are no solid numbers on how many, but Australian Bureau of Statistics data suggests it is fewer than 10% of the workforce.) For these workers shifting to a four-day week would reduce their total hours worked by a little more than 10%. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that reducing working hours, if implemented correctly, can be partly offset by an increase in output per hour. Large-scale trials in Iceland reducing weekly hours from 40 to 36, for example, found no drop in productivity. However, despite some optimistic claims, there is insufficient evidence to show there will be no reduction in output in all circumstances. A plausible guess is that reducing hours by 10% will be associated with a 5% reduction in output. If this cost were shared equally between employer and employee, workers would have to forgo wage increases of 2.5%. This would correspond to somewhere between two and five years of real wage growth based on recent history in Australia. The cost to employers would reduce their profits. But over the past 20 to 30 years the share of national income going to the owners of capital as profits (instead to labour as wages and salaries) has increased considerably. This cost would be just a fraction of those gains. Making the transition For most Australians working a standard full-time job – a little more than seven hours a day, Monday to Friday – moving to a four-day work week could occur in two stages. The first stage would be to be shift to a nine-day fortnight with no change in total weekly hours. So the average working day would increase by 50 minutes (from seven hours 36 minutes to eight hours 26 minutes). The second stage would be to shift to a four-day week with eight-hour working days (a 32-hour working week). A lot of more detailed questions would still need to be resolved. Should we choose to extend the weekend to three days, or stick with a five-day week – having different workers taking different rostered days off? Should schools continue to operate five days a week? How will working from home fit in? Will there be even more pressure than there is already to deal with work-related demands on notional days off? These problems, and others, do complicate the shift to a four-day week. But they are not insurmountable. The real question, 70 years after the arrival of the weekend, is whether we are ready to trade in some of our increased productivity for a life with more free time for family, friends and fun. Or we do we want to keep on working so we can consume more and live in bigger houses with room to store the stuff we buy to make ourselves feel better about working so much. There’s a lot of evidence that experiences give us more happiness than material goods. But experiences require time as well as money. A four-day week would be one way to get that time. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Our Workforce Management Documents are now live. Workforce management document templates to save you time, money and reduce the risk. Download today, implement immediately or contact us for customisation support. Your strategy depends on the skills & capabilities of the people who execute it. Our services focus on your most critical resourcing issues and opportunities: how and where to find the right people how to grow and develop your team how to retain your critical talent how to build the skills and diversity you need for the future how to automate, outsource or offshore activities that are not your core focus

By Leanne Faraday-Brash Organisational Psychologist The effects of unwanted sexual advances on victims – or those who work with them – are serious Work is an important social outlet for many of us. We make friends and many of us even meet partners there. But sometimes behaviour crosses into intimidating territory and this can have major implications for the individuals involved and the companies that employ them. What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is defined as “unwelcome attention of a sexual nature” that a reasonable person could anticipate might cause someone to feel humiliated, offended or intimidated or – in the context of work – make the workplace unpleasant. The fundamental difference between sexual harassment and workplace flirting, dating or even office affairs is that the behaviour is unwelcome. This is particularly damaging if the target fears for their job, career or reputation in rejecting the unwelcome attention or speaking out. What behaviour is sexual harassment? Actions can be subtle or overt and might include unwelcome sexual comments, advances or actions. Sexual harassment may range from sexist or suggestive remarks, wolf whistling, persistent invitations for drinks, dinner or sex, to implied threats or promises relating to sexual favours or advances. It may entail unwelcome physical attention like brushing against, pinching, hugging or grabbing intimate parts of the body. It could be questions or rumours about a person’s private life or sexuality or the relationship between colleagues. The most serious cases may include stalking or sexual assault, which are also separate criminal offences. Where does sexual harassment happen? Sexual harassment can occur anywhere, but many complaints emanate from the workplace. It can happen anywhere from the boardroom to the boiler room but is particularly rife in some industries, such as hospitality. Sexual harassment often involves a perpetrator exploiting a power imbalance. This might be formal or informal power. It could be a boss making unwelcome overtures towards a subordinate accompanied by threat or promise (using the power of seniority) or a case of a group “ganging up” on a person of minority status (the power of safety in numbers). The first person of a minority gender to work in a workplace may be particularly vulnerable to being singled out for unwelcome attention, such as a woman working on an engineering project, a male nurse working on a previously female-only ward or someone who is gender fluid or transgender. Increasingly it is understood that anyone can be a perpetrator and anyone a target or victim. We know that men sexually harass women or men, but women may also sexually harass men and women. Who perpetuates sexual harassment? Those who sexually harass can range from those individuals who are “out of touch” with contemporary workplaces ideas about what is unprofessional, disrespectful or potentially offensive to those who know their behaviour is unwelcome and offensive, even intimidating and predatory, but do not care about the impact they’re having. Many believe they will not suffer any negative consequences, and some blame the victims for being too sensitive or misunderstanding their intention. Sexual harassers, particularly those that are repeat offenders, are often characterised by a lack of empathy, narcissistic tendencies and even unhealthy ideas about gender and respect for difference. Sometimes sexual harassment builds over time. Other times perpetrators spontaneously “ramp up” their behaviour. This may happen in a social atmosphere after work or where alcohol is consumed. How do companies contribute to sexual harassment? Workplace dynamics can contribute to sexual harassment, which is why organisations must be mindful of their culture, as well as individual behaviour and experiences. Workplace factors that may increase the likelihood of sexual harassment include: A “permissive” culture (workplace behaviours) or climate (workplace atmosphere), in which bad behaviour is overlooked An environment that is “hostile” or intolerant of difference Staff that are dealing with lots of change, or are otherwise under stress Leaders or influential staff that set examples of bad behaviour Instances of sexual harassment or other misbehaviour that are left unaddressed by the organisation. This may also include victimisation of the complainant. Why does sexual harassment matter? Sexual harassment not only creates a legal and reputational risk for organisations: it also has significant psychological impact on the workforce. Everyone is entitled to work in an environment in which they feel physically and psychologically safe. All are entitled to what one anti-discrimination commissioner called “quiet enjoyment” of their workplace, to be treated with respect and to be given opportunities based on merit. For those who are sexually harassed, reactions may range from mild annoyance to significant trauma. The loss of pay, opportunities or a valued job may have significant personal consequences. The harassment and their reaction to it may threaten a victim’s view of themselves as capable and confident. Not wanting to speak out of fear of victimisation can undermine self-identity and self-esteem. People who have experienced adverse events such as sexual abuse or experiences of powerlessness or intense fear might find the experience triggers powerful, painful reactions. Those affected may be not just the target of sexual harassment but also those who witness it. Highly sexualised, sexist behaviour or black humour with no consequences can set an unhealthy tone in a workplace and damage the reputation of teams or the whole organisation. Sexual harassment itself can be distracting, divisive and, like any business stressor, potentially debilitating. Some staff may even become jealous of the focus on others even though that attention may be unwelcome or offensive. These dynamics can lead to a loss of trust among staff, a loss of motivation and eventually the loss of talented employees and their corporate knowledge. What if it wasn’t intentional? Some of us are naturally warm and friendly and this can be mistaken for affection or attraction. Australian banter is often "knocking” humour and replete with cheeky jokes and one liners. This can be used as an excuse to lapse into sexual and inappropriate or unpleasant talk under the guise of playfulness or irreverent, even black, humour. Sexual harassers or their supporters – which can often include employers – will often claim that the perpetrator did not mean to cause the offence experienced. This may be true, or may be a means of fending off legal consequences, but from the perspective of the law (and often the victim) intent is irrelevant and ignorance is no defence. If someone keeps doing the wrong thing and argues that they did not mean to offend, it does not take away from the discomfort, humiliation, intimidation or unpleasantness at work for the target. Genuine remorse expressed when someone is made aware that their behaviour or comments are offensive may help in repairing the relationship between the parties and it may have meaning for victims, but this is not guaranteed. Such allegations need to be carefully investigated and dealt with. Why is it important not to blame the victim? When we are accused of wrongdoing, or our team member or organisation is, we may have a defensive urge to defend by “attacking”. A common psychological phenomenon is “victim shaming” or “blame shifting”. This gets in the way of properly addressing the circumstances that have contributed to the unwelcome behaviour. Some people by virtue of their family values or cultural background have been taught to respect authority and never answer back. That does not mean they are not offended or humiliated. They may bottle up our distress or tell only family and friends. Sexual harassment is defined, among other things, as having the potential to “intimidate”. It is not reasonable to demand someone takes on a perpetrator if they feel unsafe to do so and particularly if they fear the consequences. This fear may be realistic and justified. They may worry that after they give feedback, the behaviour will become worse or that the victim will be ostracised, marginalised or excluded by the perpetrator or their supporters. This “paying out” on someone who complains is called victimisation and is just as inappropriate as the initial unwelcome attention and often as damaging. What should organisations do when sexual harassment occurs? The most empowered employees are those who can assert themselves appropriately with the alleged perpetrator if they can. At a minimum they should be able to approach HR or a respected senior manager for confidential help in eliminating the behaviour and even lodging a grievance. They should not have to rely on a transfer or leaving their employer to get away from bad behaviour. It is important that the person in a position of authority takes the matter seriously. As a minimum, companies should have clear policies and procedures for handling complaints if and when they arise. Such policies should take such matters seriously without taking sides, uphold natural justice and ensure disciplinary outcomes are proportional to any misconduct. Companies should maintain strict confidentiality by communicating only with those who have to know and seek advice from those with objectivity and expertise to ensure the issue is not mishandled. How can psychologists help in workplace sexual harassment? Psychologists can help organisations to deal with the tricky process of navigating such complaints and ensuring the impact on all affected is reduced. Psychologists can help to address sexual harassment by working with victims, perpetrators and organisations. A psychologist may help a victim to: Unpack their feelings about the behaviour and the reasons they might have been so affected Provide a skilled professional sounding board to explore their options, from tackling the perpetrator to speaking up formally Help them manage the stress and ensure they are protecting their mental health, rather than lapsing into counterproductive coping mechanisms such as self-medicating with alcohol, food or drugs. Help them to “role play” conversations they might wish to have with a perpetrator or with management to bring about changed behaviour in the other person. Psychologists can work with perpetrators to: Help them deal with the aftermath of a grievance that may have gone against them Help them understand what is and isn’t appropriate according to values, policies and laws and coach them to achieve more respectful behaviour Help them develop better self-awareness, anger management or frustration tolerance, so they have more control over their comments and behaviour. Organisations can also work with psychologists to evaluate and shift workplace culture and behaviour. Psychologists can work with individuals or teams to reduce stress and help change behaviour to ensure it meets modern expectations of what is appropriate in the workplace. This article was originally published on Psychlopaedia. Read the original article. Our online training programmes are due for release end March 2022, our online training is robust and comprehensive. Sign-up here to be notified of release. Sexual Harassment in the Mining Workplace - Employers edition Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Employers edition Your strategy depends on the skills & capabilities of the people who execute it. Our services focus on your most critical resourcing issues and opportunities: how and where to find the right people how to grow and develop your team how to retain your critical talent how to build the skills and diversity you need for the future how to automate, outsource or offshore activities that are not your core focus

By Psychopaedia, Australian Psychological Society We all like to help others. But, when it comes to mental health, what steps can we take to support ourselves? Psychological research has revealed a range of approaches that can help you stay mentally healthy and make the most out of your life. 1. Connect with others Having deep, meaningful relationships helps mental health. Build a rich social network by flexing your communication skills. Really listen to others and be genuine, sharing your thoughts and feelings. Your relationships need not be just about sharing difficulties. Celebrate everyday positive experiences with friends. Research shows doing this boosts wellbeing by helping you savour good things and make great feelings last longer. 2. Keep your perspective Avoiding difficult emotions, keeping feelings to yourself, or stewing over problems reduces wellbeing. Those able to process their emotions well typically experience better mental health. Emotion processing involves being open to experiences and accepting all your feelings and thoughts, including the difficult ones. It helps to look for constructive solutions, think flexibly and see situations from different perspectives when you are confronted by everyday problems. You can maintain your perspective by asking yourself: Am I overestimating the likelihood of a negative outcome or am I underestimating my ability to cope? 3. Develop positive habits Positive psychology has introduced the concept of ‘flourishing’. This is when you enjoy positive emotions, healthy relationships, meaning and purpose in life, and a sense of accomplishment. What can help you flourish? Research suggests acting with kindness, generosity, forgiveness and compassion towards others, cultivating a sense of gratitude and appreciation, savouring things you love, knowing and using personal strengths, being creative and feeling optimistic. The experience of ‘flow’ is also good for your mental health. Athletes might call this ‘being in the zone’. Flow experiences are ones in which you are absorbed and feel deeply satisfied. Research suggests it not only improves the skills involved in the activity, but this complete immersion lowers stress hormones and releases ‘feel good’ hormones such as dopamine. 4. Live up to your values Living a life consistent with your values leads to improved wellbeing. Be aware of your own values – of how you would like to lead your life, behave towards others, and treat yourself. Then find ways to ensure your life is in keeping with those ideals. This is better for your wellbeing than responding to events habitually, without awareness or purpose. 5. Be kind to yourself Treat yourself with the same kindness, concern and support you’d show a good friend facing struggles. Rather than reproaching yourself, recognise that life is full of mistakes and inadequacies. This is the essence of self-compassion, which fosters resilience in the face of adversity. Mindfulness, which is the ability to take note of your own experience without being overwhelmed by it, is an essential component of self-compassion. It allows you to maintain perspective without judgement and helps you keep a healthy balance between the things that go right in life and the things that go wrong. 6. Improve your work-life balance We all have many roles in life. You might be a parent, a partner, an employee, a student, a church member, a teammate, a carer or a volunteer. It is easy to feel pulled between responsibilities and it can be tempting to sacrifice important parts of your life. This can leave you less satisfied and more stressed. Researchers suggest that working towards greater balance fosters wellbeing. Think about how satisfied you are with the different areas of your life: relationships, work, recreation, health, exercise, self-development, and spiritual life. Are you devoting the amount of attention you would like to each? Making more time for some, and putting boundaries around others, might help create that balance. Taking time to wind down and enjoy relaxing activities is an important part of a balanced life and helps to reduce stress. Relaxing activities, such as gardening or reading, listening to music, walking or singing, should be an important part of your routine. 7. Laugh loud, laugh often Laughter really is good medicine. Humour that expresses positive emotion and messages (rather than humour that puts yourself or other people down), is good for your mental health. It has been found to release ‘feel good’ hormones, increase optimism, improve your mood over time, and improve relationships by increasing connection and intimacy. 8. Look after your body A good lifestyle supports mental health. Research suggests that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and regular moderate exercise, boosts your wellbeing. Making sure some of your exercise occurs in green spaces outside has extra benefits to mental health. Eat a well-balanced nutritious diet, exercise regularly, get out into nature, and avoid excessive use of alcohol and drugs. 9. Get enough sleep Getting quality sleep, and enough of it, is essential for physical and mental health. Your idea of a good night’s sleep might differ from the next person. Some people need more than eight hours of sleep to feel rested, others less. Your sleep patterns may vary as you age. Stress, worries, big life events, changes to shift work or daily routines and changes in home life can affect our sleep. Using electronic devices such as tablets, mobile phones or even the TV before bed, can disrupt sleep, as can caffeinated drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, and some medications and drugs. Your bedroom can affect your sleep, as temperature, light and noise can all disrupt sleep. 10. Seek help when needed There are many effective treatments available for people experiencing mental health difficulties. Psychologists have a range of approaches that can help you with difficulties you may face – and they are backed by evidence. Remember, delaying treatment or dropping out too early can make recovery slower. What’s more, other problems can creep in, such as relationship problems, issues with work, and other stresses. So don’t delay. See your GP or look for a psychologist with experience in addressing your issues. You can find one in your area by visiting Find A Psychologist™. This article was originally published on Psychlopedia. Read the original article. Your strategy depends on the skills & capabilities of the people who execute it. Our services focus on your most critical resourcing issues and opportunities: how and where to find the right people how to grow and develop your team how to retain your critical talent how to build the skills and diversity you need for the future how to automate, outsource or offshore activities that are not your core focus

Your workplace culture should represent the values that your organisation and employees are meant to uphold. This applies to every industry, including the mining and resources sector, known for its culture of silence on this significant issue. Employers need to create a safe work environment that promotes a respectful workplace culture, free of discrimination and harassment. What is Sexual Harassment? Sexual Harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours, or other undesirable behaviour of a sexual nature where any reasonable person would feel harassed, offended, or intimidated. Under the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and state discrimination laws, it is illegal in Australia to sexually harass another individual. Some examples of sexual harassment include: ● Staring or leering. ● Suggestive comments or jokes or banter. ● Unwelcome touching. ● Displayed sexually explicit images. ● Emailing or texting pornography or sexually explicit jokes. ● Requests for sex. ● Invasive questions about a person's private life or body. ● Unnecessary touch, such as purposely brushing against someone. ● Sexually explicit physical contact. "Australia now lags behind other countries in preventing and responding to sexual harassment." Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner According to recent reports by the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia currently lags behind other countries in responding to and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. One of the more recent studies done in 2020 shows the following: 1 in 3 people have been sexually harassed in the workplace in the past five years. Almost two in five women (39%) and one in four men (26%) have been the victim of sexual harassment in the workplace in the past five years, with four out of five people (79%) saying men had harassed them. Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people are more likely to have been victims of sexual harassment than non-indigenous people. Fewer than 17% of victims made a formal complaint about their experience, and only 45% of those complaints were met with a change in the workplace. Younger people are more likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace, with 54% of victims being between 18 and 34. At least 40% of their workforce had experienced sexual harassment, with women being more than twice as likely as men to experience it. In response to this study, the Minerals Council of Australia is taking steps to eliminate sexual harassment to help create safe and fair workplaces. One step they are taking is to expand the mineral industry’s scope of safety and health policies. The Minerals Council of Australia has also released a strong and direct statement on the importance of eliminating sexual harassment in Australian mining workplaces and has released a toolkit to support businesses with implementing change. The toolkit includes a number of fact sheets and templates to provide guidance to the mining industry on preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. As echoed above, as an employer, it is your responsibility to take every appropriate action to prevent sexual harassment from happening in your workplace. This includes being able to identify when sexual harassment is taking place, what constitutes harassment and how to provide support for those who have experienced it. Actions You Can Take To Prevent Sexual Harassment A person who sexually harasses another person is primarily responsible for their actions, but in some cases, employers may also be held accountable. This is why employers need to provide extensive training and education to employees on what sexual harassment is and the consequences that accompany it. Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins reiterated that sexual harassment is not a women's issue - it is a societal issue that every workplace can help to address. She notes: "Workplace sexual harassment is not inevitable. It is not acceptable. It is preventable." The failure to address cultural elements that enable sexual harassment to occur can lead to trauma for individuals involved, public scrutiny and costly payouts for a business. The conditions that enable sexual harassment in the workplace can be mitigated in the following ways. 1. Involve Senior Management and the Board Senior leadership communication of behavioural standards and their support of safe and respectful workplaces is one of the quickest and easiest influencers of change in an organisation. Have the board and senior management lead by example with unequivocal statements of no tolerance. Hold people accountable for their actions, including senior leaders and board members. Behavioural standards need to adhere to the Hot Stove Principle of discipline. 2. Provide Extensive Sexual Harassment Training and Education Training your team to handle employee concerns or misconduct can provide a better-equipped workplace and allow employees to feel more comfortable taking action and reporting incidents. Employees rely on managers and senior staff for information on responding to risks and reporting inappropriate behaviour. Providing employees with adequate training and education on sexual harassment and bystander intervention can help them overcome the fear of reporting incidents and provide them with the confidence to intervene when sexual harassment is taking place. Our online training programmes are due for release end March 2022, our online training is robust and comprehensive. Sign-up here to be notified of release. Sexual Harassment in the Mining Workplace - Employers edition Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Employers edition Your strategy depends on the skills & capabilities of the people who execute it. Our services focus on your most critical resourcing issues and opportunities: how and where to find the right people how to grow and develop your team how to retain your critical talent how to build the skills and diversity you need for the future how to automate, outsource or offshore activities that are not your core focus

Let’s face it, COVID-19 has presented significant challenges for business and HR leaders across most industries all over the world. Leaders are expected to sustain a strong company culture that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion; manage a workforce that is, at least some of the time, working remotely; and shape a workplace policy that includes work satisfaction, encourages employee engagement, retains talent and increases productivity and ultimately profit. What seems like an already impossible state of play is further compounded by a stressed, burnt-out, anxious and change-fatigued workforce. So, where should leaders focus their efforts first? At Optimal Resourcing, we believe you should invest in and prioritise your people. One way to do this is by looking at your working environment and structure to understanding what your employees need from you to perform at their best. Prior to COVID-19, the majority of organisations expected employees to spend most of their time on-site/in an office. Today, however, people are increasingly working from home (or other locations!) and working hours that better reflect their lives (school drop-off, early riser etc) and productivity levels. As well, they may also be working in the office, with standard office hours on certain days of the week. The combination of these flexible work arrangements are known as ‘hybrid’ ways of working, as they a hybrid of remote and in-office working arrangements. Previously thought to be an unlikely and unsupported idea, today hybrid working is considered (by most) to be an accepted and ‘normal’ way of working. Research shows there are plenty of employee and business benefits to flexible working arrangements. These include: Increased productivity and customer satisfaction Increased retention in a tight job market (if a business isn’t flexible – people are more likely to leave) Enabling an independent, self-motivated workforce who feel empowered and trusted Social distancing reduces potential COVID-19 exposure opportunities Potential increase in employee wellbeing as they are able to work in a way that makes them more comfortable and able to balance work/life A 2021 McKinsey survey found that in the post-pandemic future of work, 9/10 organisations will be combining remote and on-site working. So, what do companies need to do to ensure flexible working is successful, profitable and sustainable long-term? Let’s look at a couple of the main challenges for managers trying to manage a flexible workforce, and some potential solutions. Challenge #1 – Communication Staff working different hours and from different locations can make effective team communication problematic. You can’t just “drop by” someone’s desk to ask a question or bounce ideas back and forth organically. Scheduling meetings that suit everyone’s timetable can be tricky and if someone starts and finishes early, you may not get a response when you feel you need it. Communication breakdowns and bottlenecks can lead to misunderstandings, missed communications and potential project delays. It can even negatively affect culture. Maintaining good communication and information sharing between teams is integral to fostering positive working relationships and staff engagement. Solutions: Ensure you have strong, multi-faceted communication strategies, techniques and channels/platforms that encourage two-way communication. You may use a mix of email, chats, “face time”, daily check-ins, competitions, video updates, in-person or virtual coffee breaks to engage your teams Build meaningful relationships with your remote employees and make employee recognition a priority. The best hybrid workplace leaders are finding authentic ways to show that they care about each employee’s human experience. Be flexible – while you may need to have set times around team meetings and collaborative sessions, give your employees autonomy around when and how they work the rest of the time. Respect their time and set clear, healthy boundaries around schedules, assignments and performance expectations. Challenge #2 – Managing different working styles and needs COVID-19 has asked employees to be patient, flexible and for some, drastically change the way we live, work and interact. This shift has affected everyone differently and leaders need to be patient, flexible and sensitive to the needs and individual working styles of their hybrid working employees. According to Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index: Annual Report, three quarters of employees wish to have flexible work options to switch between office and remote. If leaders can’t manage the needs of their hybrid workforce effectively, you may see your culture start to crumble, experience increased turn-over, burn-out and reduced productivity. Solutions: Train managers for remote leadership, by reimagining processes and focussing on how to help employees thrive in their roles. Understand what motivates and drives your leaders and employees (Optimal Resourcing’s Workplace Motivators Assessment can assist) Offer a mix of in-office and remote working options – Gallup research found that the optimal engagement boost was when employees worked from home 3-4 days out of a five-day workweek. Keep them in the know – ensure they have access to the training, resources, team and tools they need to do their job effectively. Provide access to health, wellbeing and mental health support and resources To make your hybrid working environment a long-term success, you’ll need strategies for making your team cohesive, and for elevating engagement and productivity, ensuring a level playing field across remote, hybrid and your in-office team. Understanding your purpose, values and putting them into practise will engage and motivate your team and begin the journey of connecting your business and people strategies. Optimal Resourcing offers Planning Sessions to help you get started on your people strategy, click below for a free consult. Dr Prithwiraj Choudhury, Harvard Business School, summarises the primary ways of working in this diagram. Hybrid working sees a mix of these core elements – where hours, time and locations are flexible. What do you think about hybrid working? Do you think it’s a ‘fad’ or here to stay? Does it work for your business? What challenges have you experienced and what strategies have you used to overcome them? Íf you think someone else would value this information, please share using the links below.

International Data Privacy Day (28 January) is an ideal opportunity to highlight a few ways you can keep your information secure, particularly when working from home. Cybercrime is the use of a computer or online network to commit crimes such as fraud, online image abuse, identity theft or threats and intimidation. Scammers use the personal information they can find about you to commit other crimes such as fraud or blackmail…and it can take years (if ever!) to recover from the damage they cause. Some 90% of data breaches and hacking occur as a result of human error – don’t be a statistic! As cybercrime becomes more sophisticated, criminals are increasingly targeting individuals, so it pays to be cyber-savvy. Protect yourself from cyber criminals in a few simple steps Here are a few things you can do today to reduce your chance of being affected by cybercrime when you’re working from home. 1. Make sure you rename your router, and your Wi-Fi is protected with a unique, strong passphrase. Did you know that routers come with stock standard passwords – many of which are just a Google search away? This is one of the easiest ways for a hacker to penetrate your home internet, so take the time to update your security. It could save your personal information and prevent a hack to your company. A passphrase is a minimum of three, unconnected words. An example (and please don’t use this as your passphrase!) may be PurpleMonkeyDishwasher. 2. Did you know, the average home has 17 devices connected to the internet at one time? More devices mean more opportunities for hackers… In today’s connected world, some people have internet connected hair dryers and fridges (yes, really!). A few years ago, a casino was actually hacked because of its internet-connected fish tank! If you don’t have security controls in place on all your internet connected devices at home, you could leave yourself open for hackers to come in and steal your personal and work information. Ask yourself, does your toilet/oven/toaster really need to be connected to the internet? If not, disable or turn that function off. 3. If you are using a personal computer to complete your professional work, keep the security (like antivirus) on your network and devices up-to-date, and have a good, active firewall to protect your data. Software and application updates on your phone and laptop often include protection from the latest security threats so they are worth doing regularly. A firewall is a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic and permits, or blocks data based on a set of security rules. 4. Be careful how much information you’re sharing online and who you are sharing your personal information with. Many people list their birthdays, anniversaries and pet names on their social media profiles and forget to implement security settings. Unfortunately, the most common passwords include birthdays, anniversaries and pet names. If you’re freely giving this information away on social media profiles and don’t have any security settings turned on, you could be telling hackers your passwords. Your personal passwords are also likely being used for work and if you list where you work on LinkedIn, for example, hackers can try to hack your workplace and steal information by testing your personal passwords on your work email addresses and platforms. 5. Use Multi-factor authentication (MFA) on as many applications as you can, especially your email, banking and government-related services. An example of MFA is when a bank says they will text you a code and you enter that code on your screen – it’s a second way to verify that you’re actually the person requesting that action (like transferring money). MFA is one of the most effective ways to protect against unauthorised access to your valuable information and accounts and is available for most services. Think a hacker isn’t interested in you? Think a data breach on your website isn’t likely? I bet majority of people who read this have already been involved in a data breach and here’s how to check - visit www.haveIbeenpwned.com and enter your personal and work email address – it will tell you how many breaches you’ve been in, which apps and what information about you has been captured. If you have been involved in a data breach, update the password on that email address straight away and anywhere else you’ve used that password – we know you use it in other places and so do hackers! Hint - the first place a hacker will look and test your password is LinkedIn, other social media accounts and your workplace. For more on how to keep your information safe from cyber criminals, we recommend checking out: Optimal Resourcing are focussed on the future of work, workforces and workplaces. Our total workforce management consulting solutions can support you to find, assess, select and develop your team to build a scalable, capable workforce that grows with you as you change and evolve.

… actually, let’s not! Hug Your Boss Day is celebrated every year on September 13. The intention of the day is to show your boss how much you appreciate them and their support - but is it actually ok to hug your boss? I’m going to suggest not. Especially without consent. Not all physical contact in the workplace is inappropriate, however it is important to think about how this may be received. Don’t initiate unwanted contact. Some people find hugging awkward no matter the situation (my daughter!) and, in some instances, it could be considered sexual harassment. No-one should feel coerced into any activity that makes them feel uncomfortable, no matter how innocent your intentions. The Respect@Work Report, authored by Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, and released in March 2020, found workplace sexual harassment in Australian workplaces is prevalent, pervasive, and a workplace health and safety issue akin to bullying. The Sex Discrimination and Fair Work (Respect at Work) Amendment Bill 2021 makes sexual harassment a sackable offence and makes clearer, under the act, that harassing a person on this basis is prohibited. One of the recommendations which came from the Respect@Work Report identified a need for education and training for Board members and company officers on reinforcing gender equality and preventing sexual harassment. Optimal Resourcing, covers recognising workplace discrimination and harassment and communication in our Workplace Inclusion & Diversity Training. Providing inclusion and diversity training to your team will not only help to support increased awareness surrounding appropriate behaviour in the workplace and toward your colleagues, it will support you in creating an inclusive environment that will engage and motivate your team. Topics covered in the training include: Why diversity is important Workplace discrimination and harassment Bullying Recognising discrimination in the workplace Stereotypes and bias Taking a proactive approach to avoid discrimination Improving communication skills Hug your Boss Day may have good intentions, (wanting to show appreciation and support is positive) – the impact, may not be. With the prevalence of sexual harassment “rife in the mining industry”, physically hugging your boss (or any other colleague) is not recommended – and let’s be honest – there are many other ways of showing your support and appreciation! Maybe some choccies? For more information, about the Workplace Inclusion & Diversity Training, visit Optimal Resourcing’s website -https://www.optimalresourcing.com.au or reach out directly here.

....to reduce the skills shortage Recently, the Optimal Resourcing team attended the launch of Pit Crew Consulting Services’ Resources Sector Workforce Report. Over the last few weeks, we have been pulling out and discussing key themes of this report and some potential additional opportunities to help reduce the impact of the mining and resources sector skills shortage. The report launch was attended by key decision makers, but there was a lack of discussion about potential opportunities that might be available for businesses to work together and share resources. I believe there are significant opportunities to create future-fit workforces through cross-collaboration within industry and the government, particularly on sharing resources, training, and employment initiatives. With so many thought-leaders in the room, the event got me thinking… Is there an opportunity to create a dedicated Taskforce concerned with integrated talent management across the industry? Could organisations work together to coordinate shut downs so companies aren’t poaching each other’s staff (similar to the Kwinana strip)? Could there be cross-pollination of graduates, apprentices and trainees amongst the industry to upskill and equip our workforce of the future? Is there a way to share resources and training costs, without reducing competitive advantage and offering stability for employees? Is there a coordinated way to leverage the flexibility that the silver workforce, gig workers and parents are looking for? The mining and resources sector (and their partners) are missing some opportunities to reduce the impact of the skills shortage across the industry. We need to expand the focus on skills development and help workers transition to areas of opportunity, and we need to work together to enable this. Do you agree? What additional opportunities can you identify to collaborate without impacting other’s bottom line? If you’re interested in being part of a Taskforce to minimise the impact of a skills shortage in the Australian resources sector, I’d love to explore it with you! Please reach out if you’d like to grab a coffee. Meanwhile, our free e-book on workforce planning is available for download here. Other posts in this series can be found here. I investigate the importance of collaboration and investing in staff through strategic, holistic workforce planning in my book; Offshoring or shit-shoring? The definitive guide to transitioning work across teams and across countries. I’m excited to announce my book will be available in early 2022 - sign up here if you’re keen to be added to the Waiting List for a copy when it’s released. Optimal Resourcing can help your organisation with developing holistic, people-focussed workforce planning strategies to future-proof your business, contact us for a free consult or book directly here. Together. We are resourcing the future.

.....and future-proof your business Over the past few weeks, I have been highlighting key activities for businesses to action now to minimise the impact of the mining and resources skills shortage*. Today’s post looks at the integral role that thinking ahead, developing long-term, people-focussed strategies, and implementing industry-specific training play in addressing this issue. Western Australia is unique in more ways than one. We are an insular State with hard borders and are heavily reliant upon the mining sector as a key economic driver. Too often, however, the role of people and their impact on a business’s bottom line is overlooked, particularly when the economy is booming and talent is readily available in the market. But what happens when business isn’t booming, or when key skills and capabilities are difficult to find and keep? How do we protect ourselves from the impact of outside factors and avoid the pitfalls of our boom and bust cycles? The answer is to build long-term (and I mean long-term!), people-focussed strategies well ahead of time because when it comes time for a bust (and that time will inevitably come again), it’s too late to invest in your people and your business. Now is the time to plan and invest while you have the opportunity. It may feel like it’s already too late to invest, but now is the perfect time. At Optimal Resourcing, we have seen the boom and bust cycle many times over the last 30 years and again and again, one thing is clear - you need to be constantly looking to the future, as well as pivoting for the here and now. In the words of a grumpy old grader driver (my dear Dad): “Keep your eyes on the road, don’t just look down at the blade. If all you do is look down at the blade, you will run off the road!” That’s a metaphor I always have in my head – we need to focus on sustainable business models, which means focussing on developing robust, people-centred strategies to build resistance to boom and bust cycles. The Optimal Resourcing team thinks beyond the need to just “recruit now” and we encourage companies to plan for long-term sustainability by examining the skills they have now and determining what they will need in 5, 10 and even 15 years. Optimal Resourcing looks at what policies can be implemented now to ensure constancy and how companies can build capability through their longer-term development of apprentices, trainees and graduates to reduce organisational skills gaps. Focussing on short-term attraction strategies doesn’t last. You may fill a gap by offering an extra incentive (sign-on bonuses, for instance), but ultimately your culture is what will be the differentiator. If you have a culture that demonstrates loyalty to your people, you will breed loyalty in return. Demonstrating loyalty to your team, however, comes in many forms. It may be career paths, it may be other development plans, or it may be reward and recognition programmes. What it gives you, is retention and that’s what businesses need now more than ever. By upskilling and investing in your current resources, engagement will increase, attrition rates will decrease, and you will start to build the resilience you need to remain viable in the long run. According to the recent Pit Crew Report, technicians and trades workers will be hardest hit in relation to skills shortages, due to the high skill level required for some trades. The Pit Crew team further highlighted the importance of training supervisors, and we agree! In fact, this has been an ongoing gap since I commenced in the resources sector (back in the days of the dinosaur!). 85% of new managers have had no training to enable them to lead a team of individuals. Optimal Resourcing’s People Management Training is specifically designed for new and emerging supervisors or supervisors who have not received any training and have been “thrown in the deep end”. The training teaches supervisors how to delegate tasks and how to split their time between technical and programming responsibilities. It covers how to set and manage expectations and provides tools and techniques to effectively manage performance and develop people. More information about the training can be found here. I explore the importance of training and investing in staff through strategic, holistic workforce planning in my book; Offshoring or Not-Sure-ing? How to transition work between teams. I’m excited to announce my book is available here . If you have an alternative solution to minimising the impact of a skills shortage in the Australian resources sector, I’d love to explore it with you! Please reach out if you’d like to grab a coffee or if Optimal Resourcing can help your organisation with any of the themes discussed here or in my previous posts. Our free e-book on workforce planning is available for download here. If you’re interested in my other posts in this series covering culture, holistic workforce planning strategies and other themes, please visit https://www.optimalresourcing.com.au/articles Optimal Resourcing - Resourcing the future, with you.

...can reduce the impact of the skills shortage In part three of this series exploring ways to address the Australian skills shortage (as outlined in Pit Crew Consulting Services’ Resources Sector Workforce Report), we review the importance of holistic workforce planning strategies. Workforce planning connects your business strategy to your people activities and helps you to identify what to prioritise to manage risk and Return on Investment (ROI). And it all starts with understanding your customer and your value proposition. Many businesses consider their customer’s needs and expectations at the end of their workforce planning activities, however by considering your customer’s needs first, you can gain meaningful insight to inform other aspects of your people strategy. Once you truly understand what drives/motivates your customers, you can work back through your delivery value chain and determine the activities required to deliver the products or services to suit their needs. You can then identify the skills that your workforce will need to underpin those core activities. Armed with that information, you are equipped to build a picture of the service delivery model, locations, suppliers and governance required to provide your services to your customers. This approach is applicable to all businesses interested in developing robust operating models and gives you a total picture of the workforce and enablers required to support your customers. It will also help to build out your EVP or Employer Value Proposition – which can help you understand why people stay with you and why they would want to join your business. Let’s, for a minute, look at the role of leaders in developing a holistic workforce strategy and consider the sporting term “bench-strength”. You may be familiar with this term but for those who aren’t, it refers to the idea of looking at who is on your “bench” that can be “subbed” in. That is, who, within your current team, can you invest in to help build capability and fill skills or knowledge gaps? What role do they have in your succession planning and plans to future-proof against challenges such as skills shortages? Without understanding the activities required to deliver to your customers and the skills required to deliver those activities, you won’t know what your team needs to look like and what the gaps are in your bench. It’s about defining the right work, the right people, and the right behaviours. I believe businesses need to invest in and understand the drivers behind what makes them resilient to a fluctuating market. From identifying customers’ expectations and understanding what motivates and drives their staff, to determining what skills are needed within the business to bridge the gap – strong analysis will inform the development of robust implementation and workforce plans, able to withstand skills shortages. So, how does a holistic workforce roadmap potentially mitigate the impact of the skills shortage identified in the Pit Crew Report? Have a read of our Workforce Planning guide available here. It’s a free e-book that will give you an overview of the different types of workforce plans, the benefits and some suggestions to get you started. The criticality of developing total workforce planning strategies is a key theme I’ll explore in my book, “Offshoring or shit-shoring? How to transition work between teams” coming out early in the new year. (Send me an email or sign up here if you’re keen to be added to the Waiting List for a copy when it’s released.) Not sure where to begin? The Optimal Resourcing team offers the “3-2-1 Workforce Roadmap” which looks at your business strategy, engages your team and gives you a clear plan of recommended actions. It helps you to determine what skills you have now, what you need for the future and how to address any gaps through buy, build, borrow, release or retain strategies. We call it the “3-2-1 Workforce Roadmap” because it takes three steps, in two weeks to develop one action plan – a roadmap – of what, when and how to start your targeted people activities. It’s that simple. Optimal Resourcing’s holistic workforce consulting services focus on our clients' most critical issues and opportunities including: people strategy; leadership; service delivery; recruitment; development; retention, processes; technology; transformation; analytics; and mergers & acquisitions. I’d be delighted to discuss how Optimal Resourcing can help your organisation – please reach out if you’d like to grab a coffee. Next week, I’ll publish the final post in this series focussing on the role of training and collaboration in future-proofing Western Australia against skill shortages and other issues. My other posts can be found here.