A new study into the attitudes of Australian workforce participants was released by The Diversity Council of Australia in July 2010. It revealed that companies that fail to keep up with community expectations about key issues like work-life balance and respectful and inclusive workplaces are at risk of lower productivity and higher staff turnover.

The findings revealed a need to build managerial capability around providing and managing part-time work and preventing and responding to inappropriate workplace behaviour. It also found that managers with children are consistently rated as better managers and had more satisfied staff.

Some of the other key statistics in this study included:

• Flexibility was more important for parents (50% parents, 39% non-parents)
• Almost one in five employees agreed that they had considered resigning in the last six months due to lack of flexibility
• 48% strongly/somewhat agreed that it was difficult to work part-time and have a career in their organisation
• 51% of managers agreed that their employees would have to choose between advancing in their jobs or devoting time to their personal life
• Indigenous Australians were up to seven time more likely to experience inappropriate workplace behaviour than non-Indigenous Australians
• Gay employees were more likely to disagree that in their job people treat each other with respect
• Age discrimination was the most common type of discrimination
• Bullying by a manager(19%) was more common than by a work mate (15%)

If you would like to read more of the findings from this study, click on this link:Link

Our psychologists have a range of seminars developed that cover work-life balance, dealing with workplace conflict and change, harrassment and bullying. Please speak to the QOH rehabilitation manager of you would like more information on how we can assist you in dealing with some of these workplace issues.