Episodes

  • Applying traditional approaches to psychological injury in the workplace – have we been barking up the wrong tree?

    Applying traditional approaches to psychological injury in the workplace – have we been barking up the wrong tree?
    Dec 5 2024
    It’s time for Kate & Greg to wax lyrical about one of the most challenging psychosocial risks – interpersonal conflict. Thankfully, the article published on LinkedIn by Karolina Dobson, referencing a study by Gutierrez & Bazeley (2006) brings an evidence base and helpful frameworks into the conversation so it doesn’t wander too far off track!Once again, the complexity of managing psychosocial risk is highlighted in this fascinating conversation. Are all psychosocial risks of equal “risk”? Are all conflicts of equal “risk”? And how do organisations navigate the reality that, just like with stress – not all conflict is harmful, and not all individuals have the same tolerance or response to conflict. Can’t we all just be “adults” and sort it out between ourselves when conflict arises? If only it was that simple….If you are of drinking age and inclination, this is probably an episode where pouring yourself a standard measure of your favourite tonic will complement the conversation nicely.- A review and discussion of Karolina Dobson’s LinkedIn Article, “Applying traditional approaches to psychological injury in the workplace: Have we been barking up the wrong tree?”- Discussion of the research paper by Gutierrez, R and Bazely, P (2006). Workplace Psychological Injury: A Mixed Methods Investigation Into Workers' Compensation Claims.- The balance of healthy conflict and unhealthy conflict. Is all conflict in the workplace harmful?- Interpersonal conflict vs interpersonalised conflict Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – Karolina DobsonLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:“Applying traditional approaches to psychological injury in the workplace – have we been barking up the wrong tree?” - Karolina Dobson, 2024 Published in: LinkedInElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    47 mins
  • The Vision Australia Cases

    The Vision Australia Cases
    Nov 28 2024
    Join Kate & Greg for a special episode, where the conversation was recorded from a LinkedIn live event from early in 2024.The focus of this episode is to discuss a High Court decision that examines an employer’s duty of care to manage the psychosocial risk of organisational justice, during employment termination decisions and processes. During the conversation the importance of employers taking reasonable action to meaningfully protect and maintain duty of care – particularly when observable signs and symptoms of psychological distress are evident in the employee. Combine that with clear evidence of the deterioration of leadership support, and the complexity of mitigating against the harm that can be caused in organisational justice processes and procedures, particularly when the trust between an employee and their employer is broken, and we have the basis for another interesting conversation.Whether you grab a cuppa (or something stronger), choose your liquid and settle into the virtual bar for another conversation on the complexity of psychosocial risk management. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Elisha v Vision Australia Limited M22/2024 - High Court MaterialVision Australia Ltd v Elisha [No 2] [2023] VSCA 288 (28 November 2023) - AppealElisha v Vision Australia Ltd [2022] VSC 754 (13 December 2022) - First instanceElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    49 mins
  • The Mojanovski decision

    The Mojanovski decision
    Nov 21 2024
    Kate & Greg are back in the bar and they are in the mood to chat!In this episode, Kate and Greg delve into a decision from the Fair Work Commission which reveals some interesting legal and psychological intersections and incongruencies! The conversation centres around employer investigation processes and efforts to protect employees from exposure to additional psychological distress when asked to provide information during investigations, and during formal hearings. The conversation covers procedural fairness, duty of care and “speak up” cultures. Kate and Greg also discuss the importance of HR practitioners in an investigative process and give caution to not over promise as they navigate the complexities of their role.Whether you grab a cuppa (or something stronger), choose your liquid and settle into the virtual bar for another conversation on the complexity of psychosocial risk management.- Overview of the Fair Work Commission decision of the case Mr Zoran Mojanovski v BlueScope Steel Limited (U2024/2763)- Discussion of the complexities for workplaces when it comes to confidentiality and discretion in the investigation process.- Where are the learnings for organisations in creating a psychosocially safe workplace? Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Fair Work Commission, Decision Summary, Mr Zoran Mojanovski v BlueScope Steel Limited (U2024/2763), Available at 2024fwc1473.pdfElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    40 mins
  • Psychosocial risk assessment: problems and prospects

    Psychosocial risk assessment: problems and prospects
    Nov 14 2024
    Thanks for joining us for our first detailed conversation in the bar.In this episode, Kate and Greg jump out of the gates and into a lively conversation on why “psychosocial risk” isn’t actually a shiny new toy the way some are speaking about it in the market – but actually has been within WHS regulatory frameworks since WHS regulator frameworks began. The conversation is anchored in a paper written by Rick & Briner in 2000, where the authors do a fantastic job of explaining psychosocial risk, but also how psychosocial risks are inherently different from physical risks. Kate and Greg share their thoughts on what that means for day-to-day application, and why it’s important to consider psychosocial risks differently.Grab your drink of fancy, settle in and join Kate and Greg as they expand your “safety” and “psychological” literacy, whilst having some fun along the way!”- Overview of the journal article “Psychosocial risk assessment: problems and prospects”- Concepts of psychosocial risk assessments today- What’s changed – and what more needs to change? Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:J. Rick, R. B. Briner, Psychosocial Risk Assessment: Problems and Prospects, Occupational Medicine, Volume 50, Issue 5, July 2000, Pages 310–314, https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/50.5.310Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    43 mins
  • Welcome to the bar

    Welcome to the bar
    Nov 7 2024
    In episode one, Kate and Greg share their experience working in the legal and psychology fields and discuss how their insights into both fields overlap. They discuss their motivations for creating the podcast and share their views around the "flavour of the month" phenomena that is psychosocial risk management. Having first met in the early stages of their careers nearly 30 years ago, Kate and Greg are on still on a quest to break the myth that psychosocial regulation is a “new” concept. They believe traditional workplace health and safety processes are not enough to make a genuine difference to protect people’s psychological health, or an employer’s legal risks. So, if that’s the case, what is?Grab a drink, join Kate and Greg in conversation as they expand your “safety” and “psychological” literacy and have some fun along the way!” Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    20 mins