SH.22.05
Evaluation of the Respect@Work Council
24 months
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s Respect@Work: National Inquiry into Sexual Harassment in Australian Workplaces identified the need for greater coordination and collaboration among agencies tasked with preventing or responding to sexual harassment in the workplace. As part of the Australian Government’s response, the Respect@Work Council was established in 2020.
The Respect@Work Council brings together leaders from key government regulators and policymakers responsible for sexual harassment policies and complaints to consider how existing frameworks can be better used to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment.
It provides a coordinating mechanism for existing policy and regulatory bodies with responsibility for sexual harassment. The aim is to promote safer workplaces and reduce the burden on employers and victims of workplace sexual harassment as outlined in the Respect@Work Council’s terms of reference.
Research aim/s
The purpose of the evaluation of the Respect@Work Council is to examine the processes and impact of the council, including the extent to which its establishment has contributed to improved coordination, consistency and clarity among key stakeholders and across existing legal and regulatory frameworks.
Methods
An evaluation plan will be developed in consultation with the Respect@Work Council secretariat in 2022. The plan will be developed using a strengths-based, co-design approach in which key stakeholders will have input into the evaluation design, implementation and reporting.
In particular, the Respect@Work Council chair, secretariat and members (as available) will collaborate with the ANROWS evaluation team to finalise the purpose and focus of the evaluation; the evaluation criteria, questions and sub-questions; the data sources; the data collection and analysis methods; the analysis and presentation of results; and the timeframe for the evaluation.
Significance
The evaluation will provide insights for the Respect@Work Council to improve its own operations and impact. The evaluation will also provide broader learnings about the effectiveness of cross-sector coordinating mechanisms, such as this, as an alternative to establishing a new statutory authority.
Researchers
Researchers
Lauren Hamilton, ANROWS
Dr Peter Ninnes, ANROWS
Dr Tran Nguyen, ANROWS
Budget
$100,396 (excluding GST)
This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.