Workplace relations and safety training programs
Cooper Grace Ward’s workplace relations and safety team offers practical guidance to employers in managing complex workplace issues. This includes a wide range of training, professional development and leadership programs designed to support employers in creating a thriving, safe and productive workplace.
Participants in our workplace relations training and workplace health and safety training programs will gain useful knowledge about the relevant legal risks, rights and responsibilities of employers. Importantly, they will also benefit from insights into how best to manage legal and employment issues from a practical perspective.
Organisations seek our services because of the unique combination of skills and experience we offer. While there are many advisers who offer workplace health and safety training, there are very few who have hands-on experience with the myriad issues that arise in workplaces – from legal compliance, implementation of safety systems and workplace conflict, through to managing mental health and creating a high-performance culture.
Partner Belinda Winter, who leads our services in this area, is a market recognised leader in workplace relations and safety law. Belinda is one of the few lawyers in Australia to also be an accredited Mental Health First Aid trainer with MHFA Australia.
Our workplace relations and safety team runs half day, full day and multi day programs on the topics below, starting at $495 per person including GST.
In addition, we run Mental Health First Aid training programs, tailored to suit the differing needs of employers. This includes sessions customised for boards, senior management teams, HR teams, in-house legal teams and others in your organisation.
To register for our upcoming workplace relations and safety seminars and events, please visit our events page. To register your interest in a tailored program, please contact us at [email protected].
Our training services
Learn more about our tailored workplace relations and safety training services
Mental Health First Aid training
Many organisations have implemented Mental Health First Aid programs, including training for senior executives and Mental Health First Aid Officers at all levels.
We offer certified training through Mental Health First Aid Australia to equip ‘first responders’ to address workplace mental health issues. Additionally, we provide advice on planning and implementing these programs as part of a broader wellbeing strategy. Our courses cover:
- Recognising signs and symptoms of mental health problems and crises
- Understanding risk factors and evidence-based treatments
- Responding and offering support using the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan
Compliance and management of workplace health and safety in Queensland businesses
- Understanding employers’ workplace health and safety obligations
- Duties of officers, workers and other persons
- Consultation and representation rights and requirements
- Consequences of unsafe work
- Understanding investigations and prosecutions.
Employment law essentials – compliance for employers
- Complying with national employment standards
- Understanding modern awards
- Essential terms in contracts of employment
- Understanding the need for policies and procedures
- Understanding employers’ obligations with respect to employee records and payslips.
Managing ill and injured employees
- The options for managing ill and injured employees during employment
- Obtaining and using information about an employee’s medical condition
- When to make a decision about terminating employment
- Legal risks and how to minimise them.
Performance management – tips and traps
- Making the right recruitment decisions
- Taking positive steps to manage employees’ performance
- How to correct poor performance
- Legal risks and how to minimise them.
The importance of workplace investigations – how to get them right
- Understanding when an investigation should be undertaken and the options for employers
- Learning best practice when conducting a workplace investigation
- The legal issues associated with workplace investigations and how to avoid or minimise them
- How to prepare an investigation report to withstand legal scrutiny.
The ‘how to’ of HR policies: drafting, implementation and enforcing compliance
- The fundamentals of HR compliance
- Pitfalls in policy content and how to remedy them
- Acceptable boundaries for managing employee conduct and behaviour through policies
- The implementation of new and amended policies
- Reliance on policies for disciplinary and termination decisions.
