'Tis the season to be jolly, and offices around the country are wrapping up the year with Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties.
While these parties are social and fun events, the combination of alcohol and relaxed atmosphere can create an environment conducive to inappropriate staff behaviour.

A recent Australian Drug Foundation poll found that 20% of Victorian employees have experienced unwanted or inappropriate behaviour from an intoxicated person at a work function, and 3% have suffered an injury as a result of being intoxicated at a work function.

In order to ensure staff safety, avoid unacceptable behaviour and reduce potential risk, organisations need to show that they have taken reasonable steps to prevent injury or discrimination from occurring at work functions.

Last week the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) released a damning report that exposed rampant and systematic sexual harassment and discrimination in the Victorian Police Force.

A confidential survey of 5,000 officers revealed alarming statistics showing that female police officers as well as gay and lesbian employees had experienced widespread harassment and gender inequality. The report stated that many victims felt pressured to remain silent due to fear of personal and professional repercussions.

But how do you convey that to the decision-makers within your organisation, to allow you to invest in resources to measure your safety culture, and improve it?

Risk management is one of the most complex tasks facing medium sized businesses. The broad spectrum of potential risks, their unpredictability and the regulations that go with being prepared can appear daunting.

But with a clear, systematic approach your business can develop a robust risk management plan.

Here’s a breakdown of the risk management process to help you prepare for just about anything:

Certification of people providing professional services is well recognised with accountants, lawyers, health professionals and engineers. Adding Occupational Health and Safety to that list makes sense. And it’s our view that only good can come from this announcement.