Your role as an employer
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 in Victoria, an employer must provide a working environment that is safe and without risks to health. This includes an employee’s physical and psychological health.
The new Psychological Health Regulations in Victoria strengthen and clarify this existing obligation, with clear responsibilities for employers.
Your responsibilities as an employer
Your responsibilities as an employer
- Create a physically and psychologically safe environment for your employees.
- Proactively identify and manage risks to psychological health, including bullying, gendered violence, high workloads, poor support and more.
- Understand workers’ rights around pay, overtime, and breaks.
- Know where to refer apprentices when they need support.
You can create a psychologically safe environment for apprentices by:
- Encouraging them to speak up, express their concerns, and ask questions without fear of judgment.
- Treating all team members with respect, regardless of their role or background.
- Providing constructive, easy-to-follow feedback that focuses on growth and improvement rather than focusing on mistakes.
- Acknowledge and celebrate hard work and progress.
- Call out disrespectful behaviour wherever you see it.
- Supporting regular breaks to prevent burnout and to promote wellbeing.
- Having reporting systems in place and promoting their use.
Resources
Know what to do and where to go, so that you can support the wellbeing and growth of your apprentices.
Support for Employers
Access essential resources and advice to help support apprentices in your workplace.
Real stories from real apprentices and employers
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