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Focus Area 3 – Ensure a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace

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Priority 1: Empower all staff to build an inclusive and respectful workplace culture which has shared responsibility from staff and leaders to prevent and address harassment, bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination.

Action 3.1.1

See action 1.1.4 – Develop and execute a communication strategy that includes actions to increase visibility of Aboriginal and diverse staff across the organisation, highlight days of significance, and sets expectations that empowers staff and leaders to prevent, call out and address negative workplace behaviours

  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Increased reporting of negative behaviours through departmental channels that aligns with employee experience data
  • Decreased incidence of negative behaviours indicated in employee experience surveys
  • Improvement in cultural safety measures in the employee experience surveys

Action 3.1.2

  • Refresh the Employee Assistance Program to ensure it meets the needs of Aboriginal and diverse employees
  1. Timeframe: December 2023
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • EAP provider appointed to provide culturally safe services for Aboriginal and diverse staff
  • Improved satisfaction with the EAP service from Aboriginal and diverse cohorts (2025)

Action 3.1.3

  • Refresh the respectful workplaces program, and enhance sexual harassment prevention efforts aligned with the recommendations from recent inquiries 
  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Respectful Workplaces Program updated by June 2024
  • Respectful workplaces and sexual harassment eLearns reviewed and refreshed by June 2024 

Priority 2: Increase the capability of people managers and leaders to address and respond to disrespectful behaviours and complaints

Action 3.2.1

  • Develop and promote the Respectful Workplaces Manager Essentials Guide
  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Guide developed and promoted

Action 3.2.2

  • Include guidance on gendered violence and aggression in work-related violence policies and procedures
  1. Timeframe: December 2023
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Guide enhanced and promoted

Priority 3: Embed a culture of respect and gender equality for school workforce

Action 3.3.1

  • Continue to support all Victorian government schools to implement and embed a whole school approach to Respectful Relationships
  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • 40,000 school-based staff have participated in the whole-school Respectful Relationships initiative professional learning to support a culture of respect and gender equality (2017 – 2024)
  • Delivery of ‘Modelling Respect and Equality” program pilot to school staff which challenges rigid and harmful forms of masculinity to up to 100 Respectful Relationships schools  

Action 3.3.2

  • See action 1.1.4 – Develop and execute a communication strategy that includes regional   support to promote the implementation of Respectful Relationships in schools 
  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES, SEPS

Progress Measure:

  • Training delivered to Senior Education Improvement Leaders in all regions on supporting implementation of the whole school approach to Respectful Relationships and how it contributes to gender equality 

Priority 4: Promote the range of safe reporting options and the supports available for staff experiencing or witnessing disrespectful or inappropriate behaviours

Action 3.4.1

  • See action 1.1.4 – Develop and execute a communication strategy that includes actions to promote the complaints process, reporting options and supports for staff
  1. Timeframe: June 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Increased promotion of department channels to report negative behaviours and where to seek support
  • Improvement in employee experience surveys regarding feeling safe to raise concerns
  • Decreased incidence of negative behaviours indicated in employee experience surveys
  • Improvement in cultural safety measures in the employee experience surveys 

Action 3.4.2

  • Develop and deliver bystander training pilot to boost employee capability in calling out and standing up to disrespectful behaviours.
  1. Timeframe: February 2024
  2. Accountability: PES

Progress Measure:

  • Training pilot delivered and evaluated
  • Improvement in cultural safety measures in the People Matter Survey and School Staff Survey

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