Why create a safe Environment?
The benefits for organisations are;
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Improved knowledge on issues which currently effect grievances and worker compensation claims
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Ability to create procedures and policies which address lateral violence to prevent them from becoming grievance and worker compensation claims
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A happier workplace environment which adds to the reduction of staff turnover
Savings of thousands of dollars in lost time, workers compensation, staff recruitment and training costs
"Lateral violence draws power from being nameless and invisible. The first step to tackling lateral violence is naming it and exposing the ways it impacts in our workplaces and communities."
The benefits for individuals and employees;
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Safe workplace environment
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Skills to recognise their own behaviours and the impact on other work colleagues
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Ability to recognise lateral violence and the skills to implement strategies to reduce its impact on themselves and others.
Like all forms of violence, lateral violence can become normalised if it is not challenged, thus creating a workplace environment which becomes unsafe. The normalisation of lateral violence, as well as the harm and trauma causes is often the basis of most workplace grievances which cost Australian organisations millions of dollars per year in lost work hours and worker’s compensation.
Bullying Policies are included in most Australian organisations policies and procedures. In most cases, Bullying Polices usually address physical and verbal abuse, however falls short of recognizing the subtleties of lateral violence, which is the major cause of most workplace disputes in Australia.
Lateral violence training is compulsory to every workplace and every worker. High Staff turnover in an organisation is often the result of lateral violence within the workplace. The cost to any organisation in replacing and training new staff is significant, and could be greatly reduced if the workplace recognises and addresses lateral violence in its earliest stages.
