Please note: the Healthier Work recognition program is no longer operating
design
environment
capability
engagement
support
leadership
Organise and deliver work for employee and business success
Clearly define how your employees’ tasks are structured and organised.
- Do they have the right resources to do their jobs?
- Have they provided input to how their work is organised?
- Can the work be meaningful and give people the opportunity to build their skills?
- Can you promote autonomy and foster positive relationships?
What you can do
When designing individual job roles and responsibilities, seek a balance between meeting your organisational goals while considering the demands you place on your employees.
Well-defined and consistent systems, processes and procedures are the backbone to workplace design.
Roles and responsibilities
Clarify employee tasks, work methods and priorities. Make sure they’re aware of their role within the organisation.
- Maintain role clarity – check your employee understands their role within the organisation
- Make sure employees have access to position descriptions that include role purpose, reporting relationships and duties
- Regularly review and update job descriptions (in consultation with your employees)
Workload and job demands
Aim for a balanced and motivational approach to workload. Encourage employees to shape their work to suit their style.
- Make the review of workload a regular thing – during team meetings or informal chats
- Encourage employees to offer input into how tasks are done, including pace and order
- Make work more meaningful and stimulating
Resources
Make sure your people have what they need to do their job well, including equipment and support.
- Check your employees have the information they need to make decisions
- Ensure activities have the financial, human and information resources to meet business goals
- Introduce support during times of high demand
Systems, processes and procedures
Clearly define processes and procedures and review your systems regularly (together with your employees) for optimal results.
- Have a formal information-sharing system or program, such as an intranet
- Define processes and procedures for things like rostering and performance reviews for consistency
- Make it easy for employees to speak up early if their job demands are peaking
Create a safe, inclusive and comfortable place to work.
The work environment is the physical and psychological spaces created by your organisation.
- What equipment is used by your employees?
- What spaces are available for different tasks, lunch breaks or meetings?
- Do you have the right lighting, heating/cooling, and cleanliness?
- Are materials and equipment well maintained?
What you can do
Certain spaces can encourage healthy behaviours, such as facilities for showers after a ride to work. Policies, and systems for reporting and managing risks, such as trips or falls, bullying and fatigue are essential. Ongoing employee training to prevent injury is a core responsibility of an employer.
Physical and psychological hazards
Identify potential hazards that could affect people’s physical or psychological safety. Have systems for employees to report concerns.
- Have a risk management system across the entire business
- Clearly define how to identify, eliminate or reduce/manage all safety risks
- Make it easy for all staff to see and respond to hazards
Workspace
Design spaces for specific activities or preferred ways of working. The way you set up workspaces can encourage healthier behaviours.
- Provide spaces where people can have confidential conversations
- Offer dedicated break space/s for relaxation and social connection
- Minimise isolation by providing opportunities for face-to-face interactions
Plant, equipment and materials
Regularly assess and maintain your plant, equipment and materials. Ongoing training can prevent injury.
- Check the equipment is right for the job – it may need to be replaced or updated
- Have equipment maintenance schedules and audits
- Keep bathrooms and kitchens clean and offer useful items
Vehicles, buildings and structures
Assess and maintain vehicles, buildings and structures. Policies and systems should be accessible and practical.
- Consider the accessibility of your work locations for employees or clients with a disability
- Make sure all locations have a compliant emergency plan
- Make emergency equipment part of a regular inspection and maintenance program
Encourage professional learning and personal growth.
Help your employees deliver organisational goals by creating a learning culture.
- Do you encourage employees to reflect on their performance?
- How can you uncover individual strengths and build learning into everyday job tasks?
- Do you train managers to supervise and communicate with staff?
What you can do
Explore your team’s capabilities through training, coaching and professional development. Recruit to fill known role gaps and support your team’s culture.
Recruitment
Make recruitment and promotion processes fair and transparent.
- Appoint and promote based on merit and performance
- Have a formal induction process and train managers to implement it
- Create a peer support program for new starters
Training
Offer training to support both individual and team competency.
- Make sure employees have the knowledge, skills and abilities to do their jobs
- Offer regular training on policies such as Diversity and Inclusion, Risk Management, and Code of Conduct
- Train leaders and managers in effective communication
Development
Allow your employees to drive their own learning and development. Empower people to make decisions.
- Give time to employees to talk through career goals and development pathways
- Offer opportunities to act at a higher level or in other roles
- Give employees time to acquire and consolidate skills
Performance
Make regular performance feedback two-way and expected.
- Create a performance and development template
- Have regular performance reviews with open and constructive feedback
- Make sure work demands are achievable
Build a positive culture to be proud of
Foster positive organisational values, beliefs, behaviours, goals, attitudes and work practices.
- Do you communicate your expectations and encourage collaborative relationships?
- How do you recognise employees who show positive behaviours in line with your culture?
- Do you provide wellbeing activities to boost employee engagement and create meaningful connections?
- Are you promoting healthy practices so employees can pursue better physical and mental health at work and in their own time?
What you can do
Understand the dynamics of your team by talking about recent events or challenges. Manage change well by listening, refining and empowering new ways of thinking.
Communication and consultation
Offer clear and ongoing collaborative communication with workers at all levels.
- Tell your team about how and why decisions are made
- Consult with employees when planning change
- Encourage feedback and participation during consultations
Recognition
Provide recognition to those employees who demonstrate positive behaviours.
- Formally or informally congratulate employees and/or teams when tasks are done well
- Implement a rewards program
- Recognise or celebrate exceptional efforts of those supporting a healthier work environment
Relationships
Encourage a culture of collaboration, respect and support.
- Encourage honest, open communication at all levels to embed trust
- Give information and/or training to promote positive workplace relationships
- Ask employees to check in with each other – in person or virtually
Fairness and equity
Manage change transparently and ask employees to provide input. Offer conflict resolution options.
- Give all employees equal and fair access to rewards, recognition, development and advancement opportunities
- Create a confidential complaint handling process
- Give employees options to appeal when a decision doesn’t go their way
Wellbeing
Build trust and loyalty through social team interactions. Encourage healthy individual behaviours.
- Create a yearly wellbeing calendar of events and activities – get employee input
- Offer optional presentations on mental health and wellbeing topics
- Include time for social interactions or personal updates at staff meetings
Support your people, especially in challenging times.
When an employee is injured or unwell, they need to know they’re supported to recover and get back to work.
- Do you offer clear processes for supporting your people?
- Are you regularly checking in with them?
- Do your employees know how to access temporary or longer-term support or variations to their job to suit their current health issues?
What you can do
Create options for reasonable adjustments, flexible work hours or work-from-home options. Seek external support services for your injured or unwell employees sooner rather than later.
Response and support
Provide accessible ways for your employees to tell you when their illness or injury is affecting their work.
- Have regular wellbeing ‘check-ins’ and make sure to follow up
- Give all employees regular information about how to access support programs
- Set up an Employee Assistance Program for confidential counselling services
Work adjustments
Be open to changes or supports that can be put in place to keep people working when they face health issues.
- Offer temporary reduction in hours
- Consider a temporary change in duties
- Understand recovery requirements and adjust the physical workspace if needed
Injury management
Make access to confidential external services easy, especially for injury management and return to work programs.
- Engage with treatment providers as part of an employee’s injury management plan, if appropriate
- Have a clear process for injury management tailored to either physical or mental health conditions
- Make sure managers have the information required to support an employee’s return to work
Flexible work
Give employees flexibility so they can continue to contribute during challenging times or changes in life.
- Create a workplace that recognises work-life balance
- Allow flexibility in timing of breaks
- Introduce flexible work options for personal appointments
Lead with dignity and respect
Commit to all aspects of a healthy workplace. Lead by example with positive behaviours, attitudes and work practices.
- Do you have a clear vision and set of values for your workplace?
- Do you have policies and plans that underpin your commitment to workplace health and wellbeing?
- Do you encourage inclusive and transparent styles of management, with availability to talk through issues or ideas?
- Are your leaders role-modelling healthy work practices?
What you can do
Always treat employees with dignity and respect. Be sensitive to personal and professional challenges.
Values and vision
Communicate your organisational values and vision – what you believe in and what you want to achieve.
- Create a mission, vision and values statement for your workplace commitment to health and wellbeing
- Set priorities for increased workplace diversity and inclusion
- Make your mission, vision and values accessible to all employees and promote these regularly
Policies, strategies and plans
In consultation with your employees, regularly review policies, strategies and plans for relevance and accuracy.
- Lead with an overarching workplace health and wellbeing policy
- Make policies and procedures accessible – online and in hardcopy
- Get employee feedback and communicate updates to any policies, strategies or plans
Commitment and application
Keep everyone on the same page when it comes to being a healthy workplace.
- Lead with openness so employees understand why and how changes will occur
- Create a workplace health team that considers human resources, WHS and wellbeing
- Encourage an ‘open door’ policy so employees can provide input or discuss concerns
Evaluation and accountability
Track the progress of key healthy workplace activities and plans. Assign accountability.
- Regularly review decisions to check decision-makers are being impartial
- Make sure policies, practices and work design promote positive physical and mental health
- Make sure people management systems and processes reflect health and wellbeing expectations