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Preventing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination in Australia

Australian workplaces require employees and supervisors to navigate workplace interactions with professionalism, awareness, and accountability.

This training helps learners recognize inappropriate behavior, identify concerns early, and respond with greater confidence and judgment in everyday workplace situations.

Built by employment law attorneys, this training helps organizations translate Australian workplace obligations into practical workplace behavior that is legally informed, culturally aware, and aligned with evolving workplace expectations.

An employee in the workplace representing professionalism, accountability, and positive workplace culture.

Audience

All employees

Format

Self-paced, scenario-based online training

Compliance Scope

Helps to Satisfy Australian Employers’ Positive Duty Under the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984

Duration

30 minutes

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The impact of workplace harassment and discrimination.

SHIFT helps organizations strengthen workplace culture, reduce risk, and support respectful workplace behavior across Australian teams.

1 in 3

workers in Australia report experiencing workplace harassment in the past five years

1 in 5

victims formally report harassment

+

workplace harassment and discrimination significantly increases turnover and psychological injury claims

Workplace harassment and discrimination can affect psychological safety, retention, team performance, and organizational culture. Preventing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination in Australia helps employees recognize concerns early, apply sound judgment in difficult situations, and respond in ways that support respectful workplace interactions and evolving workplace expectations.

Respectful workplaces are not optional.

They are a legal and cultural expectation in Australia.

Course overview

SHIFT’s Preventing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination in Australia course equips employees and supervisors with practical tools to recognize, prevent, and respond to inappropriate workplace behavior.

Through interactive, real-world scenarios, learners explore how harassment, discrimination, and retaliation can emerge in subtle and complex ways under Australian workplace conditions. The course reinforces respectful conduct, accountability, and early intervention while supporting compliance with applicable Australian legal frameworks.

This is not check-the-box compliance training. It is practical, behavior-driven learning designed to improve workplace culture and reduce risk.

Beyond policy to real-world prevention

Most harassment and discrimination training focuses on policy definitions but does not prepare employees for real workplace situations.

SHIFT’s approach uses scenario-based learning and guided reflection to help learners recognize early warning signs, understand intent versus impact, and respond appropriately when facing challenging or ambiguous interactions.

The result is a workforce better equipped to prevent misconduct before it escalates into legal, reputational, or cultural harm.

Key learner takeaways

 

This training builds the ability to:

  • Recognize harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in workplace scenarios
  • Identify and respond to inappropriate behavior early and appropriately
  • Understand intent vs. impact in workplace interactions
  • Apply bystander intervention techniques to support safer workplaces
  • Strengthen awareness of Australian workplace rights and responsibilities

Anti-harassment trainings can often be dull, but this program is genuinely engaging and interesting.

Axis Communications Logo

Alicia Janowicz
Human Resources Business Partner

Compliance coverage

Meets the Australian employers’ positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984

This course meets the requirements under the Sex Discrimination Act. In December 2022, the Australian Human Rights Commission introduced a new positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). This change requires all organizations — regardless of size or resources — to take proactive steps to prevent unlawful conduct, not just respond after it happens. The duty applies to sole traders, small businesses, large enterprises, and governments alike, reinforcing the need for safer, more respectful workplaces.

Under the Act, organizations must actively work to prevent:

  • Discrimination on the grounds of sex in a work context
  • Sexual harassment in connection with work
  • Sex-based harassment in connection with work
  • Conduct that creates a hostile workplace environment on the grounds of sex
  • Related acts of victimisation

These requirements are designed to create safer, more respectful, and more accountable workplaces across Australia.

Meets Australian Employers' Positive Duty Under the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984

Compliance you can trust

We also offer our Preventing Workplace Harassment & Discrimination course in the following versions:

  • A global version as well as country-specific versions tailored to meet compliance requirements in Canada, UK, and India, with additional regions available upon request.
  • A sensitive locations version, modified to align with local norms in regions where sensitivities to some content require changes.
  • A streamlined U.S. version that simplifies complex training mandates, allowing learners to take a single course and select the location(s) where they work or manage. The intuitive platform also adapts dynamically to mandated time requirements, ensuring both flexibility and compliance.
  • Industry-specific versions for retail, healthcare, and manufacturing and trade to ensure content reflects the realities of each workplace.

Proven to change behavior.

This training goes beyond awareness to practical application in real workplace contexts.

  • Uses realistic Australian workplace scenarios
  • Highlights subtle risks in communication and conduct
  • Encourages reflection, accountability, and early intervention
  • Strengthens bystander intervention and reporting confidence
  • Reinforces respectful and inclusive decision-making
  • Builds consistency across teams and locations

Result: Employees make more informed decisions that strengthen culture, reduce risk, and support safer workplaces.

Preventing Workplace Harassment and Discrimination Global Course Thanks Screenshot

Course details

Format
Self-paced eLearning with interactive scenarios and reflection points
Duration
30 minutes
Languages
English and Spanish (others available upon request)
Certificate
Instant certificate download
Accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA compliant, screen-reader compatible, closed captions included
Flexible Delivery Options
SCORM-ready training, deployable via client LMS or hosted by SHIFT
Customization
Branding options and full content tailoring available, with updates reviewed to maintain alignment with legal requirements
White Glove Implementation
Dedicated Project Manager
SCORM integration
LMS set-up & admin training
Go-live support and post-launch check-ins

Frequently asked questions about harassment and discrimination training in Australia.

This course is designed to support employer obligations under Australian anti-discrimination laws, including the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. Organizations should confirm specific compliance requirements based on jurisdiction and industry.

Yes. It is designed for supervisors and non-supervisory employees to ensure consistent understanding across roles.

The course reflects Australian legal frameworks and uses realistic workplace scenarios to show how harassment and discrimination can occur in practice.

Yes. SHIFT offers full customization including branding, policies, and industry-specific scenarios.

It focuses on real-world application, helping employees navigate ambiguity and make better decisions in everyday workplace situations.

See how SHIFT prepares your teams for real workplace decisions.

Request a demo

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