Season 09 Episode 04: The Moral Compass of the Law

“The idea of a moral compass of the law assumes that we care about caring,” Sara provokes. “We cannot escape the moral compass of the law,” Trajce warns. Alan agrees, “Good laws reflect good moral judgment.”

The podcasters explore contemporary, newsworthy topics related to moral injury. Sara describes moral injury, an occupational psychosocial hazard, as a cross-cutting hazard – one that crosscuts acute and cumulative exposure pathways. Listen to more on this to understand ethical challenges to one’s sense of integrity. The WhyWork Podcast crew, Alan, Trajce, and Sara explore hot topics: The Epstein files, P. Diddy and his workforce, and Covid healthcare reflections.

“This is about you, not with you,” Alan remarks while laughing about Trajce’s wild band party days, He continues to jibe Trajce until Trajce admits that there may be a few stories of yesteryear to unpack.

For more on psychosocial risk management, refer to PRAiSETM (Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Integrated Solutions for Employers) – Certified Assessor and Manager programs – and PRA, the new task-based Psychosocial Risk Analyser feature within the ErgoAnalyst software platform. These tools are helping teams visualise, quantify, qualify, and respond to both contextualised physical and psychosocial risks, merging technical rigour with empathy-driven co-design.

Season 09 Episode 03: "Top o' the morning to ya!"

The WhyWork Podcast team marvel at a case when a seemingly simple salutation triggers a workplace dismissal. “Was it fair?’ Trajce begs the question. Alan asks about material misconduct and whether a belief related to the cause of an offence is reasonable justification for dismissal.

This is a provocative episode, prompting deep thought on when play becomes concerning, and justifiable misconduct. Alan and Sara revel in the debate on sentiment, intention, and the impacts at work when you but your foot in your mouth. “Yes, like what about when you describe less-than-cute babies and you realise that was your workmate’s infant?” asks Sara, determining that some babies must ‘grow into’ their cuteness.

Trajce is concerned about offenses escalating to termination too quickly. Sara rebuffs these ideas by suggesting that if you ringfence the frivolity around interpersonal relations in an extreme manner, you lose humour and bonding opportunities, yet agrees that personal offences are in the eye of the beholder.

For more on this topic, refer to S08 E10: Darth Vader and the Handshake of Death

Season 09 Episode 02: Spyware - Yah, baby! It’s all the rage

The team debate a question in workplace dismissals: “Was the sacking harsh, unjust, or unreasonable?”

Alan presents the new way of working as an inspector – using body-worn cameras in investigations. He argues, “If you are capturing someone’s personal information, a video of them, a voice recording, and their interactions, the person should receive a copy of what has been captured.” Trajce and Sara weigh in on the debate, with workplace trends rampant in the use of spyware software, tracking keystrokes, and meeting attendance. Sara reminds the team of provisions to constrain ‘unnecessary surveillance’ in psychosocial risk management mandates. Alan explains, “it’s so much easier if you have stated the scope of surveillance in a policy.”

In another story, Trajce is humoured by the idea that spending up to an hour a day to online shop for personal items at work is permissible in some jurisdictions, yet workers yearn for a right to disconnect from work on their home time.

For more on Psychosocial Risk Management, check out: PRAiSE (Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Integrated Solutions for Employers) – Certified Assessor and Manager programs - and PRA, the new task-based Psychosocial Risk Analyser feature within the ErgoAnalyst software platform. These tools are helping teams visualise, quantify, qualify, and respond to both contextualised physical and psychosocial workplace risks, merging technical rigour with empathy-driven co-design.

Season 09 Episode 01 of the WhyWork Podcast begins with sensational media gossip that leads the team, Alan, Sara, and Trajce (aka “Ziggy,” the pop music master), down a pathway of discussion on the bounds of workplace dismissal. Yes, the Coldplay incident. Trajce asks about reasonable workplace treatment when the scope of query encroaches upon one’s personal life. They discuss what happens when a worker is caught “pashing off” with someone unexpected and the taboos around workplace relationships. Trajce uses another example - when an employee refuses to take an alcohol breath test to demonstrate fitness for work.

The podcasters embrace discussion on psychosocial risk management and codes of practice, standards, and guidance material which is just dripping into feeling states. Trajce is concerned about work relations that confuse judgments. Alan defends against Trajce’s contest and debate on attitudinal versus behavioural breaches, while Sara explores ideas on leveraging company policy to institute ego assertions from people in power. “I do what I wanna do,” she raps, an excerpt of a song she has in mind during these times.

For more on Psychosocial Risk Management, check out: PRAiSE (Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Integrated Solutions for Employers) – Certified Assessor and Manager programs - and PRA, the new task-based Psychosocial Risk Analyser feature within the ErgoAnalyst software platform. These tools are helping teams visualise, quantify, qualify, and respond to both contextualised physical and psychosocial workplace risks, merging technical rigour with empathy-driven co-design.

Season 09 Trailer 06: Refugees

Trajce advance's a refugees claim of years of bullying, micromanagment, and discrimination. The team, Alan, Trajce, and Sara, wrangle with the 'ColdPlay'd-gate' escapades and the symbolic implications of workplace power relations.

Tune in to the release of Season 09 for a focus on workplace terminations for all manner of challenging reasons - coming soon!

Season 09 Trailer 05: Autopilot mode

"How many times have you done something silly but you've been in autopilot mode?" reflects Sara when considering human factors and relatable fallabilities. Humans also innovate and improve work systems. Season 09 is coming soon, talking about more whacky case law, relatable faux-pas, and dissection of human behaviour. Stay tuned for more coming your way.

Season 09 Trailer 04: PRAiSE - Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Integrated Solutions for Employers. The team reflect on "The best psychosocial instrument on the planet," as Trajce aludes, while Alan struggles with prosecutions of employees in Work Health Safety Legislation.

Season 09 Trailer 03: Nothing but dismissals - can't we all just get along?

Season 09 takes listeners down a workplace dismissal path. Alan, Trajce, and Sara explore workplace conflicts and government prosecutions in work health and safety law. Alan struggles... listen in for more on this with Season 09 releases - coming soon!

Season 09 Trailer 02: Bring it on - The kaleidoscope of workplace mishaps. Get ready for more humour and confronting tales - Season 09, coming soon.

Season 09 Trailer 01: Back in black - we're back... soon!

Back in black - we're coming back soon for Season 09. Great ready for more quips about contemporary events and controversial stories, laced with insights from diverse perspectives. We explore business strategy, work design, human factors, and work health safety case law. The more things change, the more things stay the same...!