Introduction: From Awareness to Action
It’s one thing to understand that gender-based violence (GBV) is a workplace issue. It’s another thing entirely to know where to start fixing it.
Many leaders we work with at Capyble say the same thing: “We want to act, but we don’t want to get it wrong.” There’s a fear of saying the wrong thing, triggering a complaint, or opening a can of worms that the organisation isn’t prepared to handle.
Here’s the truth: doing nothing is the bigger risk. Inaction leaves employees vulnerable, exposes your business to legal liability, and damages trust. The good news? You don’t need a perfect solution on Day 1. You just need to start — with a few clear, tangible steps.
This blog is your practical playbook for the first 90 days of building a safer workplace, whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, WHS officer, or frontline manager.
Step 1: Understand Your Risk Landscape
Before you start writing new policies, take a moment to understand where your workplace stands right now.
Ask the Right Questions
- Do employees know what GBV is and how it might show up at work?
- Do they feel safe reporting inappropriate behaviour?
- Are there parts of the business where turnover or absenteeism is unusually high?
- Are there patterns in complaints, grievances, or WHS incidents that might point to psychosocial hazards?
Tools You Can Use Today
- Anonymous Climate Survey: Use a quick pulse survey with statements like:
- “I feel safe raising concerns about harassment or discrimination.”
- “Leaders here model respectful behaviour.”
- “I know how to report unacceptable conduct.”
- “I feel safe raising concerns about harassment or discrimination.”
- Focus Groups or Listening Sessions: Bring together a small, diverse group of employees and ask open questions about what helps them feel safe and what gets in the way.
Even if the feedback is hard to hear, this step is critical. You can’t fix what you don’t understand.
Step 2: Build or Refresh Your Policy Framework
A strong policy does two things: it sets clear expectations and gives employees confidence that they will be supported if something happens.
Essential Elements of a GBV Policy
- Definitions: What counts as harassment, bullying, sexual misconduct, and GBV.
- Scope: Make it clear that behaviour at work events, online, and offsite still counts.
- Reporting Options: Offer multiple, confidential pathways (not just going through a direct manager).
- Support Services: List EAP, hotlines like 1800RESPECT, and internal resources.
- Investigation Process: Outline what happens step-by-step so staff know what to expect.
- No Retaliation Clause: Protect people who speak up from victimisation.
If you don’t have a policy yet, start with a short commitment statement from leadership and expand over time. Templates from Our Watch and Safe Work Australia are excellent starting points.
Step 3: Train Your People — Especially Leaders
Policies mean nothing without capability to back them up. Training is where culture begins to shift.
Who Needs Training?
- Executives & Board Members: To understand legal obligations, governance risks, and culture-setting responsibilities.
- Managers & Supervisors: To recognise red flags, respond sensitively, and escalate appropriately.
- HR & WHS Teams: To run trauma-informed investigations and integrate GBV into psychosocial risk registers.
- All Staff: To know their rights, responsibilities, and how to intervene safely as bystanders.
What Good Training Looks Like
- Short, scenario-based sessions — not just a 60-slide e-learning module.
- Scripts for difficult conversations, e.g. “I’ve noticed a change in you lately — are you okay?”
- Role-playing for bystander intervention (e.g. “interrupt, distract, direct, delegate”).
Training should be refreshed regularly — ideally every 12–18 months — to keep awareness and skills current.
Step 4: Create Safe, Accessible Reporting Channels
One of the biggest barriers to addressing GBV is that most incidents go unreported. Employees fear retaliation, think nothing will be done, or don’t want to be “that person.”
Low-Barrier Reporting Options
- Anonymous Online Form: Easy, confidential, accessible from any device.
- Trusted Contact Network: Train a handful of employees across departments to be approachable first points of contact.
- Third-Party Hotline: For organisations that want to add extra independence.
Be clear about what happens after someone reports. Lack of transparency is one of the biggest trust killers.
Step 5: Offer Immediate and Ongoing Support
Support is not just about responding to a single incident — it’s about ensuring the person impacted can keep working safely and with dignity.
Examples of Practical Support
- Adjusting rosters or locations so they don’t have to work alongside the person causing harm.
- Providing paid leave to attend counselling, medical appointments, or court dates.
- Changing parking arrangements or security access if there is a safety risk.
- Connecting them to financial or legal support services.
Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for employees to stay safe and stay employed.
Step 6: Measure and Improve
Like any other WHS or risk management initiative, GBV prevention needs review and refinement.
How to Track Progress
- Run follow-up climate surveys every 6–12 months.
- Monitor number of reports and time-to-resolution (an increase in reporting often signals growing trust).
- Review policies annually to reflect legal changes and lessons learned.
- Gather feedback from staff on whether they feel safer and more supported.
Continuous improvement shows employees that you’re serious about culture — not just ticking a box.
A Real-World Example: Small Steps, Big Impact
One Capyble client, a mid-sized manufacturer, began with three simple actions:
- Leadership Statement: The CEO emailed all staff to say GBV would not be tolerated and encouraged reporting.
- Manager Training: Supervisors were trained on how to spot red flags and support staff.
- Anonymous QR Code Form: A confidential reporting tool was posted in break rooms and near time clocks.
Within three months, they saw a spike in reports — not because harm increased, but because trust in the system did. This allowed them to intervene early in a few situations and make targeted cultural improvements.
Your First 90 Days: A Roadmap
| Weeks | Action | Outcome |
| 1–2 | Run anonymous survey or listening session | Baseline data on culture and risk factors |
| 3–4 | Draft or update GBV policy | Clear framework for action |
| 5–6 | Leadership statement to all staff | Build psychological safety and trust |
| 7–8 | Deliver manager training and staff education | Equip people with skills |
| 9–10 | Promote reporting channels and support services | Encourage early disclosures |
| 11–12 | Review early data and adjust approach | Build a feedback loop |
This approach gives you early wins, builds credibility, and creates momentum for longer-term change.
Key Takeaways for Leaders
- Don’t wait for perfection. Starting small is better than staying silent.
- Transparency is powerful. Tell staff what you’re doing and why.
- Culture is shaped daily. Every conversation, joke, and intervention sets the tone.
- GBV prevention is risk management. Treat it with the same seriousness as physical safety hazards.
Conclusion: Action Builds Trust
The biggest risk we see in workplaces isn’t overreacting — it’s underreacting. When leaders take visible steps to address GBV, employees feel safer, more valued, and more engaged.
You don’t need a million-dollar program to make a difference. You just need to start — one survey, one training session, one conversation at a time.
Your organisation can become a place where employees are not just safe from harm, but supported to thrive. And that’s not just good compliance — it’s good business.
