Your first 30 days can make all the difference.
Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, or line manager, how you respond to domestic and family violence (DFV) — especially in those early steps — sets the tone. It signals whether your organisation is reactive or ready. Whether safety is theoretical or real. And most importantly, whether the people who need help the most will ever feel safe enough to ask for it.
Too often, DFV strategy feels overwhelming: where do we start? How do we make sure it’s meaningful, not just box-ticking? What if we get it wrong?
At Capyble, we believe you don’t need to have all the answers to begin — you just need to begin. That’s why we’ve created a 30-day action plan: practical, low-barrier steps any workplace can take to build a safer, more responsive culture from day one.
🗓️ Week 1: Lay the Groundwork — Publicly and Internally
✅ 1. Make a Visible Commitment
Start by sending a clear message: DFV is a workplace issue — and your organisation is committed to addressing it. May is commonly associated with DFV Awareness Month and November is the UN’s 16 days of Action against Violence, these are excellent months to start. This can be as simple as:
- A statement from your CEO or executive team
- An all-staff email acknowledging the importance of workplace safety
- Updating your internal newsletters or Slack channels with support info
Why it matters: Visibility normalises the conversation. It helps break the silence that DFV often thrives in.
“If we don’t name it, people assume we don’t care. Or worse — that they’re on their own.”
✅ 2. Map Your Starting Point
Before you start designing solutions, assess where you are:
- Do you have a DFV policy?
- Are there trained people leaders?
- How do staff currently report or disclose?
- What external supports are in place?
Don’t aim for perfection. Aim for honesty. This snapshot will guide everything that follows.
🗓️ Week 2: Design for Real-World Use
✅ 3. Update or Draft a DFV Policy
If you have a policy — review it. If not — write one. But make sure it:
- Defines DFV (including economic, emotional, and tech abuse)
- Clarifies support available (leave, adjustments, financial help)
- Explains reporting pathways
- Is inclusive, clear, and trauma-informed
Hot tip: Include examples. “Flexible hours to attend court” or “paid leave for relocation” help staff imagine what’s possible.
“When a policy is vague, people don’t trust it. Make it real. Make it human.”
✅ 4. Add Support Details Everywhere
It’s not enough to have a policy. It needs to be:
- On the intranet
- In bathroom posters
- In onboarding packs
- On your company wiki or HR system
Include external hotlines too — like 1800RESPECT, Men’s Referral Service, and LGBTQIA+ support lines like QLife.
🗓️ Week 3: Build Manager Readiness
✅ 5. Train Key People in Response and Referral
Start with people who are most likely to be approached:
- Team leaders
- HR
- Safety officers
- EAP contacts
- Workplace relations staff
Training doesn’t have to be intensive at first — even a 60-minute briefing on:
- What DFV is and isn’t
- Signs someone may be experiencing harm
- What to say (and not say)
- Where to refer
“We don’t need everyone to be a counsellor. We just need them not to freeze.”
✅ 6. Establish a Safe Disclosure Pathway
Who handles DFV disclosures? Is it clear? Is it safe?
Map a clear, confidential process. Include options like:
- Anonymous online reporting
- Bypassing a direct manager if needed
- Contacting a trained internal contact or external service
Then — communicate it widely. Not just once. Often.
🗓️ Week 4: Embed and Sustain
✅ 7. Budget for Support
Safety takes resourcing. Set aside a small discretionary fund for:
- Emergency transport or accommodation
- Technology changes (e.g. new phone number or laptop)
- Paid DFV leave
- Legal or wellbeing support
Even a few hundred dollars per person can make a critical difference.
“When someone’s in crisis, every delay matters. Give your people the tools to say yes — not excuses.”
✅ 8. Partner with a Specialist Organisation
You don’t have to do this alone.
Find a DFV service, survivor-led organisation, or community-based provider that can:
- Offer training
- Review your policy
- Deliver tailored support
- Co-design future improvements
Make sure they’re trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with your workforce needs.
🧠 What Does Success Look Like?
This isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about shifting culture.
A DFV-safe workplace is one where:
- Employees trust that if they speak up, they’ll be believed
- Managers know what to do — and what not to do
- Policies are lived, not laminated
- Perpetrators know their actions have consequences
- Everyone understands that “private issues” can have public impact
📋 Your 30-Day Checklist
| Week | Focus | Key Actions |
| Week 1 | Commitment & Audit | CEO message, policy visibility, baseline assessment |
| Week 2 | Policy & Systems | Draft/update policy, publish widely, integrate support info |
| Week 3 | Manager Training | Train key leaders, establish safe disclosure pathways |
| Week 4 | Resourcing & Partnerships | Allocate budget, partner with DFV services |
💡 Common Questions We Hear
“What if we don’t have the budget?”
You don’t need a six-figure strategy to start. Free training resources exist. Posters are free to print. The biggest cost is often time and attention — and you can start with as little as an hour a week. We have this free trained we launched to help https://www.dvafoundation.org/see-hear-believe-community-and-workplaces/
“What if we’re afraid of doing it wrong?”
Doing nothing is worse. Start small. Centre survivors. Learn as you go. Mistakes made in good faith, with the intent to learn and listen, are not only forgivable — they’re necessary.
“How do we make this sustainable?”
Embed it. Link DFV to your WHS, diversity, and safety strategies. Make it part of onboarding. Set annual reviews. Don’t make it a passion project — make it part of core business.
🗣 Final Word: Your Workplace Can Save a Life
That’s not hyperbole.
We’ve seen it happen: where one safe conversation, one flexible roster, or one transport voucher changed the trajectory of someone’s escape.
And we’ve seen the opposite — where silence led to resignation, re-traumatisation, or worse.
You have 30 days. That’s enough time to lay the foundation. To create a culture where someone doesn’t have to choose between safety and a salary. Between dignity and disclosure.
You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to start.
And if you need help? That’s what we’re here for.
