This month, WorkHaven celebrates five years of delivering meaningful and relevant solutions to address domestic and family violence (DFV) and workplace sexual harassment. Over the last five years, we’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of organisations across government, corporate, and community sectors to provide practical support, guidance, and awareness-raising initiatives.
Our work has included training programs, from foundational sessions to in-depth workshops, as well as communication resources and strategies designed to embed DFV awareness into organisational culture. We’ve supported workplaces with policies, leader guides, fact sheets, and operational procedures, ensuring they have the tools to respond thoughtfully and effectively. Alongside these standard offerings, we’ve developed bespoke projects to meet the unique needs of organisations, communities and employees affected by DFV.
Through this work, we’ve learned so much. Over the last five years, DFV support in workplaces has increased significantly, but there is still more to be done, particularly in equipping leaders to address the topic, raising ongoing awareness, and providing support not only in crisis situations but also for prevention and recovery.
Some key lessons include:
- Accessibility of information matters: Domestic violence leave provisions should not be buried in general leave policies. Standalone DFV policies ensure all employees can see and access support when they need it.
- Leaders need support and understanding: Being in a leadership role does not automatically mean someone can recognise or provide support for DFV, nor does it mean they are immune from experiencing it themselves. Organisations must equip leaders with the knowledge and tools to respond appropriately.
- Avoiding “tick and flick” approaches: Compliance alone is not enough. Thoughtful, consistent, and ongoing engagement is critical to delivering meaningful support. One-off events, like an annual morning tea or awareness walk, do not sufficiently embed DFV awareness into workplace culture.
- Support across all stages of DFV is essential: Effective workplace programs must not only help employees reach safety during a crisis, but also provide ongoing guidance and support throughout recovery, helping them rebuild their lives, regain confidence, and navigate the long-term impacts of domestic and family violence.
- Recognition of the prevalence of DFV and sexual harassment: Despite statistics showing that one in four women in Australia experience DFV and that 65% of them are in the workforce (roughly one in six), some workplaces still fail to recognise its presence. Similarly, one in three people experience sexual harassment, yet jokes and inaction persist. Government and legislative reforms have advanced prevention measures, but workplaces must step up to comply fully and foster safe environments.
It has been an incredible privilege to support organisations in these areas. Today, WorkHaven has reached almost 123,000 workers across 10 industries, including construction, aviation, government services, and health. Our work continues to expand, ensuring employees affected by DFV or sexual harassment have access to trauma-informed, practical support.
As we celebrate this milestone, the WorkHaven team remains committed to doing more over the next five years. We will continue to innovate, educate, and collaborate with organisations to create safer, more supportive workplaces where employees are empowered to thrive, not just survive.
Here’s to the next five years of making a difference.
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