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Information of interest to our Clients and for the industry

The impact of Coronavirus isolation and how employers can help
The impact of Coronavirus isolation and how employers can help
It’s not all that long ago that bumping into someone you knew in the street provided an opportunity for connection, …

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Tagged With: Coronavirus, Employee Wellbeing, Isolation, Loneliness, mental health, Wellness Programs,
Upskill, Update and Refresh with Work Options’ Online Training
Upskill, Update and Refresh with Work Options’ Online Training
Face-to-face training can be costly, time consuming and logistically challenging, especially during these difficult times.  That’s why Work Options has …

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Tagged With: drugs and alcohol in the workplace, EAP services, Mental Health at Work, mental health in the workplace, Online Training, positive mental health at work, workplace mental health, Workplace safety,
Work Options scores 98.62% for customer satisfaction in the Australian Achiever Awards
Work Options scores 98.62% for customer satisfaction in the Australian Achiever Awards
The Australian Achiever Awards was created to give small to medium businesses an unbiased and quantifiable way to be recognised for …

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Tagged With: consultancy, Customer service, Injury Management, Value, workplace drug and alcohol testing, Workplace Health and Safety, Workplace Rehabilitation,
What does Australia’s drug and alcohol use mean for your business?
What does Australia’s drug and alcohol use mean for your business?
The Australian Government has just released the National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019, which has revealed some interesting new trends …

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How to boost business performance through an employee counseling program
How to boost business performance through an employee counseling program
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides employers with a positive and proactive means of assisting employees who may be struggling …

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Top 12 essential elements of a Safety Management Program
Top 12 essential elements of a Safety Management Program
Different industries all take different approaches to safety management systems. Whether you’re a small to medium sized business or a …

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Returning to Work: supporting your employees through the transition
Returning to Work: supporting your employees through the transition
One in two workers still feel uncomfortable about returning to the workplace As COVID-19 restrictions start to ease around Australia, …

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Strategies for the New World of Work
Strategies for the New World of Work
The world of work today looks nothing like that of yesterday.  The COVID-19 crisis has bought some companies almost to …

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Case Study: correct ergonomic setup when working from home – important for both you and your staff
Case Study: correct ergonomic setup when working from home – important for both you and your staff
With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the world has moved to a reality where many people are working from …

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Managing mental health in the workplace: spotting the warning signs
Managing mental health in the workplace: spotting the warning signs
Stress-related workers’ compensation claims have doubled in recent years in Australia, resulting in $146M in compensation claims annually.  With many …

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Hiring: should I conduct a pre-employment drug and alcohol testing or not?
Hiring: should I conduct a pre-employment drug and alcohol testing or not?
Pre-employment drug and alcohol testing has been relatively common in industries such as mining, construction, transport and logistics in Australia.  …

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Tagged With: Workplace Alcohol Testing, Workplace Drug Testing,
Times have Changed: why employers need to adapt their thinking when recognising psychological injuries
Times have Changed: why employers need to adapt their thinking when recognising psychological injuries
Whilst hundreds of thousands of Australians are currently experiencing uncertainty and increased stress related to their employment status, financial security …

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Tagged With: Maintaining Mental Health, Mental Health at Work, Psychological Injuries,
Alcohol and Drug Awareness in the workplace: a Supervisor’s guide
Alcohol and Drug Awareness in the workplace: a Supervisor’s guide
Drug and alcohol misuse represents a significant hazard to the health and safety of employees, contractors, visitors and others impacted …

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158 views
Tagged With: drug and alcohol testing, workplace drug use,
Case Study: Why Fitness for Work Assessments are a Win-Win for Employers and Employees
Case Study: Why Fitness for Work Assessments are a Win-Win for Employers and Employees
We’ve heard about hundreds of cases in Australia where an employer is legally prosecuted for discrimination against a potential employee, …

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Tagged With: fitness for work assessment, Unfair Dismissal Claim,
Oral Fluid Testing: how it works and what it can achieve in the workplace
Oral Fluid Testing: how it works and what it can achieve in the workplace
Last month we looked at urine testing in the workplace, the advantages of implementing it as a preferred method of …

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Are employers legally required to offer Employee Assistance Programs?
Are employers legally required to offer Employee Assistance Programs?
Workplace Health and Safety legislation in Australia requires employers to provide a safe work environment that protects worker’s physical and …

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Tagged With: Employee Assistance Program, mental health,
Urine testing: how it works and what it can achieve in the workplace
Urine testing: how it works and what it can achieve in the workplace
Drug testing in the workplace is a common practice, particularly within high-risk industries who are at a greater risk of …

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143 views
Tagged With: Urine Test, Workplace Drug Testing,
Managing the return to work process: a guide for employers and workers
Managing the return to work process: a guide for employers and workers
Despite the physical and financial risk of workplace injuries, when managed correctly, employee injuries can be a positive experience for …

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263 views
Tagged With: return to work, workers compensation,
Missed our January e-News?
Missed our January e-News?
Catch up here…
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Mental Health Audit: how mentally healthy is your workplace?
Mental Health Audit: how mentally healthy is your workplace?
Mental health in the workplace is fast becoming an important issue for managers and supervisors, and can be a challenging  …

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Tagged With: mental health in the workplace, mentally healthy workplace, positive mental health,
Guide to employer obligations around poor air quality
Guide to employer obligations around poor air quality
The devastating bushfires around Australia are not only significantly impacting communities across the country, but should be an important reminder …

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Tagged With: air quality guidelines, working in poor air quality,
Case Study: when a pre-employment medical can put you at risk of discrimination claims
Case Study: when a pre-employment medical can put you at risk of discrimination claims
When hiring new employees, employers often put themselves at risk of discrimination, either advertently or inadvertently and despite the best …

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Tagged With: discrimination, fit for work, pre-employment medical,
How Employers can Avoid 5 Big Mistakes when Drug and Alcohol Testing
How Employers can Avoid 5 Big Mistakes when Drug and Alcohol Testing
We’ve previously covered the biggest pitfalls in workplace drug and alcohol testing policies, but even when your Drug and Alcohol …

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Tagged With: alcohol testing, drug testing, drugs and alcohol at work,
Reinstated after Unfair Dismissal: what you could be at risk of this silly-season
Reinstated after Unfair Dismissal: what you could be at risk of this silly-season
They don’t call it the ‘silly-season’ for nothing; employees get too drunk, verbally abuse their boss, kiss their colleagues uninvited, …

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Not always a Merry Christmas: Christmas and Mental Health
Not always a Merry Christmas: Christmas and Mental Health
Christmas is usually a happy time of year. But it’s also a busy time of year and can be especially …

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Reducing the Risk at Christmas: Considerations when planning the work Christmas party
Reducing the Risk at Christmas: Considerations when planning the work Christmas party
Most employees have a story about a time when they’ve had too much to drink, gotten a little too confident …

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6 things employers should know about the workers comp system
6 things employers should know about the workers comp system
No matter the industry, business size or insurance type, all employers have an obligation to support any person who is …

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Tagged With: workers compensation,
When performance reviews result in bullying and harassment claims, and how to avoid them
When performance reviews result in bullying and harassment claims, and how to avoid them
Reasonable performance management of staff, conducted in a rational and constructive manner is not workplace bullying. Unfortunately however, for many …

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Tagged With: bullying, harrassment, performance review,
Why work is the best treatment for injury recovery
Why work is the best treatment for injury recovery
The statistics are proof: work, wellbeing and general health are mutually beneficial. But a common belief among injured workers (and …

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Tagged With: injury recovery, return to work, work and worklessness,
The common problem with a positive drug and alcohol test which no one talks about
The common problem with a positive drug and alcohol test which no one talks about
In light of October being Mental Health Awareness Month in New South Wales, we thought we’d shed some light on …

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Tagged With: drug and alcohol in the workplace, drug and alcohol policies and procedures, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,