IndiHub’s Workplace Behavior Policy aims to provide employees with a fair, respectful workplace free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, vilification and bullying. Employment decisions should be made on merit alone, not on irrelevant attributes or individual characteristics.
Promoting appropriate and respectful behaviour ensures positive relationships between employees and management, whether they’re temporary, contractors, or long-term. Policies should apply to everyone on or off company property and during and after scheduled work hours.
A Discrimination-Free Workplace
At IndiHub, our policy covers direct discrimination, an occurrence where someone is treated less favourably due to personal attributes, which is prohibited by law. There are many types of discrimination that a policy should address, including the following:
Direct Discrimination
Direct discrimination involves any mistreatment based on the following attributes:
- Race (colour, nationality, descent, ethnicity, ethno-religious or national origin)
- Sex
- Age (including compulsory retirement)
- Pregnancy (including potential pregnancy)
- Religious belief, affiliation, conviction or activity
- Marital status, domestic status, or relationship status
- Sexual identity
- Carers’ responsibilities, family responsibilities, carer or parental status, being childless
- Breastfeeding
- Industrial/trade union membership, non-membership, or activity
- HIV/AIDS
- Disability/impairment, including physical, mental and intellectual disability
- Political belief, opinion, affiliation, conviction or activity
- Defence service
- Association (with a person who has one or more of the listed attributes)
Indirect Discrimination
Indirect discrimination may occur when an employer imposes a policy, requirement, or condition that applies to everyone equally but operates to disadvantage a particular group. It also includes a situation where an employee harasses another that qualifies as grounds for discrimination.
Vilification
Vilification is a public act that incites hatred, severe contempt, or ridicule of a person or group because of a personal attribute and is a serious breach of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws.
Sexual Harassment
Any misconduct of a sexual nature which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated can be considered sexual harassment whether or not it’s unintended. It doesn’t need to be directed at an individual to be unlawful, and behaviour contributing to a hostile working environment can also be unlawful.
Bullying
Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed toward an individual or group that creates a risk to health and safety. Performance counselling is necessary, along with other reasonable managerial actions such as disciplinary action, work directions and orders, and allocation of work in compliance with business needs and does not classify as bullying.
Victimisation
When a person is retaliated against because they’ve complained, intend to lodge a complaint, or are involved in a complaint of unlawful conduct, they become a victim.
Handling Complaints
If any employee feels they’ve been subjected to any form of unlawful conduct contrary to EEO laws or the IndiHub Workplace Behavior Policy, they’re entitled to file a complaint and will be dealt with at the discretion of a Complaints Officer. Confidentiality must be maintained as much as possible, although the nature of the complaint may require other employee involvement for investigative purposes.
To resolve complaints, an office can informally meet with all parties involved in an attempt to mediate a less-serious issue. A formal procedure can include a confidential investigation for more serious issues.
IndiHub members can contact our free HR Helpdesk for help and advice around appropriate workplace behaviour.
