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Business
Poor management the biggest risk factor for workplace bullying
Organisational structures, not individuals, are to blame for workplace bullying, which affects 10 per cent of employees, according to a new Australian study citing “poor management practices” as the root cause of bullying.
For the frst time, University of South Australia researchers have developed an evidence-based screening tool that identifes nine major risk areas for workplace bullying embedded in day-to-day practices, putting the onus on organisations to address the problem.
In a paper published this week in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, lead author UniSA Professor Michelle Tuckey and colleagues from the Centre for Workplace Excellence, the University of Queensland and Auburn University in the US offer a new way of tackling bullying at work.
They analysed 342 real-life bullying complaints lodged with SafeWork SA, 60 per cent of them from female employees. The highest number of complaints were from health and community services, property and busi-ness, and the retail sector. The complaints revealed the risk areas for bullying in organisations.
“Workplace bullying predominantly shows up in how people are managed,” Prof Tuckey says.
“Managing work performance, coordinating working hours and entitlements, and shaping workplace relation-ships are key areas that organisations need to focus on.
The major organisational risks have now been identifed and built into a screening tool that has been validated in a hospital setting.
“The tool predicts both individuallevel and team-level workplace bullying risks that jeopardise the psychological health of employees,” Prof Tuckey says.
The researchers say that existing strategies, such as anti-bullying policies, bullying awareness training, inci-dent reporting and investigating complaints, focus on behaviour between individuals and overlook workplace structures.
“Workplace bullying undermines the functioning of employees and organisations alike. It leads to mental health problems, post-traumatic stress symptoms, emotional exhaustion, poor job satisfaction, high staff turnover, low productivity, sleep problems and even suicide risks.
“To prevent bullying, organisations must proactively assess and mitigate the underlying risk factors, like other systematic risk management processes. Only then will an organisation thrive,” Prof Tuckey says.
OMBUDSMAN WELCOMES GOVERNMENT MOVE TO DELIVER SMALL BUSINESS TAX BREAKS Performance test continues to drive improvement in underperforming super funds
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson, has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to deliver tax breaks that will help small businesses have greater support, incentives, and skills to grow.
The measures frst announced in the March budget will see small businesses with annual turnover of less than $50 million given a bonus 20% deduction for expenses and depreciating assets associated with the uptake of digital technology and an extra 20% deduction for the cost of external training courses delivered to their employees by providers registered in Australia.
“This will mean small businesses will get a $120 tax deduction for $100 spent on digital uptake and upskilling staff,” Mr Billson said.
“Locking in these measures will ensure small and family businesses are digitally enabled, resilient and have the support, incentives, skills, and training needed to be truly competitive and to grow.
“Deeper digital engagement has been the saviour for many small and family businesses throughout the pandemic and assistance to build their digital capacity is an important investment in their future.
“The release of draft legislation by Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Small Business Minister Julie Collins and Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones will be warmly welcomed by the small business community.
“Small business is a dynamic and fastgrowing sector that allows people with an entrepreneurial spirit to pursue their dreams and incentives like this will help increase the $438 billion contribution small business makes to the economy.
“Small businesses provide employment for more than fve million Australians – that’s two out of every fve people with a private sector job.
“Delivering these budget promises will provide incentives for small and family businesses to deepen their commitment to their communities and the economy.
“The digital tax break will allow them to invest in items such as cyber security systems, cloud-based services, accounting or eInvoicing software, hardware such as laptops and portable payment devices.
The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Bruce Billson
In a clear sign that the tail of underperforming funds in the super sector is being cleaned up, only one additional product failed the performance test this year. A further four products failed for a second time, but three of these already have plans to exit the industry.
“The test continues to set people up for a better retirement by weeding out underperforming products. In the space of a year, the repercussions of the performance test have driven fee reductions and mergers among underperformers”, says Xavier O’Halloran, Super Consumers Australia Director.
Ten of the 13 products that failed the test last year are either planning to or have already merged with a performing fund. Another two have made improvements to avoid failure, leaving one fund demonstrably failing members two years running.
The Government has announced a review of the operation of the performance test before expanding it to more products. The latest APRA data fnds that over 60% of currently untested choice products on their heatmaps are delivering poor performance.
