Introduction: Beyond “It’s a Personal Issue”
It starts quietly.
One of your most reliable employees begins arriving late. She looks tired, distracted, not quite herself. She stops joining team lunches, and her output drops. Colleagues whisper about “personal problems” but no one intervenes. Weeks later, she resigns with little explanation.
For many workplaces, this story is familiar — and too often, it ends there. But what if this wasn’t just “personal drama”? What if this was a sign of gender-based violence (GBV) — harassment at work, coercive control at home, or a combination of both — and your workplace missed an opportunity to act?
GBV is not just a private matter. It is a workplace health and safety issue, a business risk, and a moral obligation. By reframing it this way, organisations can prevent harm, fulfil their legal duties, and build safer, more engaged teams.
Defining GBV in the Workplace
What is GBV?
Gender-based violence is any act of harm directed at someone because of their gender. It is rooted in power imbalance and includes:
- Physical or sexual violence: Assault, coercion, unwanted touching.
- Psychological abuse: Bullying, intimidation, threats, gaslighting.
- Harassment: Sexual harassment, gendered insults, stalking (in person or online).
- Structural violence: Exclusion from opportunities, unequal treatment, tolerance of sexist “banter.”
- Spill-over harm: Domestic or family violence impacting work (harassing calls, stalking outside the workplace, financial abuse that affects attendance).
GBV exists on a continuum. At one end are behaviours often minimised as “just jokes” — sexist remarks, inappropriate comments, unwanted attention. At the other end are serious offences such as assault or stalking. The danger lies in ignoring the lower-level behaviours, which create the cultural conditions where severe harm can escalate.
The Hidden Cost of GBV at Work
GBV doesn’t just harm individuals — it affects teams, organisations, and society.
1. Productivity Loss
Employees experiencing GBV are more likely to take sick leave, arrive late, or leave jobs entirely. Australian studies estimate domestic violence alone costs workplaces over $1.9 billion annually in lost productivity.
2. Safety Risks
When violence spills into work, safety risks multiply — for the targeted employee and their colleagues. A perpetrator showing up at a workplace can put entire teams at risk.
3. Talent Retention
Unaddressed GBV pushes people out of the workforce, disproportionately affecting women and marginalised employees. This undermines gender equality efforts and drives turnover costs.
4. Reputational Damage
Workplaces that fail to protect staff face public backlash, litigation, and long-term damage to their employer brand.
Why This Is a WHS Issue — Not Just HR’s Job
Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws require employers to manage psychosocial hazards with the same diligence as physical ones. Sexual harassment, bullying, and violence are now explicitly recognised as risks employers must eliminate or minimise as far as reasonably practicable.
That means:
- GBV belongs on your risk register
- It must be addressed through hazard identification and control measures
- Boards and officers have a due diligence duty to ensure compliance
This shift reframes GBV from a “case-by-case HR issue” to a systemic risk requiring leadership attention.
Case Story: The Missed Opportunity
Consider Maya (name changed), a retail worker whose ex-partner began stalking her at work. He would send threatening messages during her shifts and wait in the car park after hours.
Maya told her manager, who sympathised but said there wasn’t much they could do. The store had no protocol for situations like this. No security measures were put in place, no shift adjustments were offered. Eventually, Maya left the job for her safety.
This was not just a missed chance to support Maya — it was a failure of duty of care. Had the employer treated this as a WHS risk, they could have implemented measures like:
- Adjusting her roster
- Notifying security staff
- Offering safe parking arrangements
- Providing leave to attend court appointments
Instead, they lost a skilled employee, and Maya was left to manage the danger alone.
Early Warning Signs Leaders Can Watch For
Managers don’t need to be investigators, but they can look for red flags:
- Sudden changes in attendance or performance
- Signs of distress or hyper-vigilance
- Injuries with unclear explanations
- Conflicts or rumours suggesting harassment
- Withdrawal from team activities
Creating an environment where employees feel safe to disclose issues early is key.
The Cultural Connection: Everyday Behaviours Matter
GBV prevention isn’t just about responding to crises — it’s about shaping culture. Everyday sexism, bullying, or exclusion might seem small, but they signal what behaviour is tolerated. When workplaces challenge harmful norms early, they reduce the likelihood of more serious harm later.
Leaders play a critical role here: the jokes they laugh at, the behaviour they ignore, the tone they set in meetings — all shape what the team considers acceptable.
Your Business Case for Action
Here’s why addressing GBV makes strategic sense:
- Risk Management: Reduces exposure to legal claims and regulatory penalties
- Performance: Employees who feel safe are more engaged and productive
- Retention: Safer workplaces attract and keep diverse talent
- Reputation: Demonstrates commitment to ESG and social responsibility
Doing nothing is no longer neutral — it is a liability.
Practical First Steps for Organisations
Even if you’re just beginning, here are actions you can take this quarter:
- Audit Your Policies: Check whether your WHS and HR policies explicitly cover GBV, harassment, and psychosocial risks.
- Create Clear Reporting Pathways: Multiple, confidential options encourage disclosure.
- Train Leaders: Equip managers to recognise risks, respond sensitively, and escalate appropriately.
- Support Systems: Provide access to counselling, paid leave, and safety planning for affected workers.
- Communicate Your Commitment: A message from leadership stating zero tolerance for GBV can shift culture dramatically.
The Role of Boards and Executives
Boards are increasingly expected to treat GBV as a material risk. That means asking questions like:
- Is GBV risk included in our enterprise risk management framework?
- Do we receive regular reports on incidents and actions taken?
- Are resources allocated to prevention and support programs?
Governance attention signals to the whole organisation that safety and respect are non-negotiable.
Hope and Opportunity
It’s easy to focus only on the harm, but there is a hopeful side to this work: workplaces have enormous power to be part of the solution. When they act decisively, they not only protect staff but contribute to cultural change beyond their walls.
We’ve seen it first-hand with Capyble clients — where employees who once felt unsafe now speak up, leaders intervene early, and teams feel proud to work in a culture of respect.
Conclusion: Reframe, Respond, Prevent
GBV is not “someone else’s problem.” It is a workplace safety risk, a leadership challenge, and a test of organisational values.
By reframing GBV as a WHS and business issue, you shift from reacting to harm to preventing it. You create workplaces where employees can thrive — not just survive.
The question isn’t whether GBV belongs on your agenda. The question is whether you are ready to lead the change.
