Debra Brodowski

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 Moral Injury: A Silent Ethical Toll Impacting the Wellbeing of HR Professionals 

Human Resources (HR) professionals often find themselves in the unique position of being both the guardians of an organisation’s culture and the enforcers of its policies. This dual role can sometimes place them in situations where their ethical and moral beliefs are challenged, leading to a phenomenon known as moral injury. Traditionally studied in military and healthcare settings, moral injury occurs when an individual experiences or witnesses events that are in contrast and are against their deeply held personal beliefs. For HR professionals, these experiences can create significant psychological distress, impacting their wellbeing and overall effectiveness. 

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Leader having a conversation with employee
 The biggest lever an organisation can pull to support employee wellbeing

The biggest lever an organisation can pull to support employee wellbeing  In today’s workplaces, addressing the mental health and wellbeing of employees has become crucial. With psychosocial hazards, if left unaddressed, posing significant risks, organisations need effective strategies to create supportive environments. Upskilling leaders to exhibit supportive leadership behaviours and engage in meaningful wellbeing conversations…

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Controlled Empathy: Why It Matters When Working with Traumatic Content and Materials 

In many professions, empathy is essential for fostering interpersonal connections and building meaningful relationships. However, for those frequently exposed to traumatic content or distressing situations, high levels of empathy can be a risk factor for developing vicarious trauma. Over-identification with the pain or emotions within traumatic material can lead to heightened secondary stress symptoms compared to those with lower levels of empathy.

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Managing vicarious trauma in the legal profession – A comprehensive guide

The legal profession, often associated with high intellectual demands and intense workloads, faces unique challenges when it comes to managing psychosocial risks. Among these, vicarious trauma stands out as a significant concern, especially for those involved in emotionally loaded cases, including, but not limited to, family law, criminal defence, and human rights advocacy. Vicarious trauma,…

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Integrating self-care practices in work environments to combat vicarious trauma

In professions where exposure to traumatic content is inevitable, vicarious trauma is a psychosocial risk that cannot be eliminated. Workplaces then need to establish strong protective factors and controls to minimise the risk to employee wellbeing as much as possible. One of these protective factors is prioritising self-care. By integrating self-care into the organisational culture,…

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How to choose the right EAP provider 

When it comes to your people’s mental health and wellbeing, choosing the right EAP provider is a must. To ensure you have a well-matched EAP provider, it’s important to ensure that they uniquely fit your workplace needs, providing tailored comprehensive support.

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Why a corporate rehabilitation program should be part of your organisation’s mental health strategy  

Advancing the wellbeing of employees in 2023 is going to need more than ‘tick the box’ services or a lunchtime yoga session. With new legislation currently rolling out at a state level and new legal precedence being set in the high court this year, organisations are being called on to do more to protect their people’s mental health and wellbeing.

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The cumulative impact of psychosocial hazards

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the impact of psychosocial hazards in the workplace on employee mental health. While identifying these hazards is an important first step, it is important to recognise that often these hazards do not exist in isolation, and that the cumulative impact of multiple hazards have a significant impact on employee mental health and wellbeing. 

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Protective factors that reduce the risk of psychosocial hazards across the board

The workplace environment can significantly impact the psychological wellbeing of employees. Psychosocial factors are the elements that contribute to this impact. These factors can have both positive and negative effects on employees’ mental health. For instance, positive or protective psychosocial factors such as social support, autonomy, and a sense of purpose at work can enhance…

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White Ribbon Day 2022

November 18th, marks White Ribbon Day 2022, and this year’s theme, ‘Together We Are Stronger’, is a time to come together and start a conversation about practical solutions to end men’s violence against women and children.

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Having sensitive mental health conversations in the workplace

As mental health has grown to be an important topic in the workplace, it’s still often a conversation which can leave leaders fearful about what to say. Having sensitive mental health conversations can be tricky to navigate. They can evoke high emotions which commonly leads to avoidance around engaging in such conversations. However, when an issue is not addressed, a small issue usually becomes a bigger one.

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