Early intervention in conflict to minimise the risk of a Workers’ Compensation claim

A FOCUS ON WORKER WELL-BEING

Early Intervention• Should start long before a conflict & long before an incident

or series of incidents leads to socio-psychological harm

• Starts with a culture in which managers

expect and workers deliver on their

responsibility to attend or present

for work in a fit state

(physically and mentally) –

ready to perform their

duties in a professional,

respectful, safe & skilled manner

Major Pitfall• Workers at all levels within a business often fall into

the mindless habit of presenting for work as though

that task blurs into one with the rest of their

greater life

• There should be a clear distinction between our

private lives and our professional work space

• In our private lives – we get to make choices for our own benefit and to suit our own interests

• At work – we should be making choices in the best interest of the business

At work all workers should…

- Remember that at work they are representatives

of the employer

- Speak to others as though they are representing their employer/the business

- Behave as though they are representing their

employer/ the business

- Follow set procedures for tasks and follow set policies including those relating to behaviour

Make decisions to act in the best interest

of their employer

And

Not how they feel at the time

That is:

- Always remember the bigger picture

- Be alert, mindful and present in the moment

- View the workplace from 2nd or 3rd person more often than from 1st person

Professional Boundaries

Boundaries can be set and maintained by:

• Working with a professional & customer service orientated attitude

• Displaying professional technical skills to a high level of competency

• Respecting own and other staff member’s personal dignity

• Remaining slightly detached & aloof from each other

• Adhering to work policies & procedures

• Being a worker/employee and not a friend

Physical Boundaries

Professional

Intimate

Personal

Personal Professionalism

Procedural Professionalism

Policies and Procedures

• Responsibility of all Managers to know about each policy

• Responsibility of all Managers to follow each policy

• Manager’s responsibility to ensure staff know & adhere to policies

• Not good enough to find that when a worker is under pressure or in an unsafe situation that they don’t know or can’t remember the relevant policies

Consistent application of policy

Improved behaviour and performance

Social Pain is REAL

Social Pain

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7EFYwUopf8

Professional & Personal Boundaries

Assertive & Confident Behaviours

• Choosing to Respond (not react)

• Resilient

• Mindful

• Self Management of incidents

Assertive

There is only 1 type of Professional Behaviour that creates a constructive culture• Only 1 type of Behaviour is constructive, treats all parties with

respect & builds relationships.

• Only 1 of type of Behaviour is not driven by fear, stress or mindlessness

Win / Win

Self Management

Choosing to Respond not React

Stimulus perceived as a Threat

Elicits aConsidered Response

Stay Calm and Think

S + T = R

Hit the PAUSE Button

Speaking up respectfully ‘in the moment’

• Self Management is being able to interact calmly and professionally at all times

• It is making sure that at all times we speak and act respectfully and appropriately

• It is being able to recognise when we are not respectful and then apologise

• It is being able to speak up respectfully when someone says or does something to us that is not appropriate

Stress Management• Stop being busy - start being smart (mindful, resilient, calm,

positive, confident, assertive, above the line…..)A new approach to busyness - Busy by Tony Crabbe Piatkus

Why zebras don’t get ulcers by Robert Zapolsky

Willpower by R Baumeister and J Tierney

The miracle of mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

The seven habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey

Optimism by Bob Brown

• Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ePYet3Fbts

• Some Effects of Stress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9mIDshQPcc

Let’s explore…• A more calm approach – staying ‘CALMER’

•C – Calm

•A - Analyse

• L – Learning

•M – Mirror

• E – Evaluate

•R - Review

Workplace Conflict Resolution

• 1300 227 901

• enquiries@wpcr.com.au

• www.WorkplaceConflictResolution.com.au