By Dr Sarah Cotton

The release of the latest gender pay gap data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has prompted a lot of reflection across Australian organisations. 

More than 10,500 employers with over 100 employees are now publicly reporting their gender pay gap performance, covering nearly 5.9 million Australian workers. The data highlights how closing the gender pay gap is not primarily about paying women and men differently for the same role. It’s also about who gets access to opportunity, progression, security, and leadership positions over time.  

In other words, gender pay gaps are shaped by experience, not just policy and by the critical transitions people navigate across their working lives 

What the WGEA data tells us   

The latest WGEA report highlights several factors shaping gender pay gaps across Australian organisations. 

• The midpoint of employer average gender pay gaps is 11.2%, with the median at 8.0% 

• 54.8% of employers reduced their average total pay gap year-on-year 

• Discretionary pay (like bonuses) continues to show the largest disparity, with a 29.7% gap in favour of men 

• Men remain over-represented in senior and higher-paid roles 

• Women continue to experience slower career progression linked to caring responsibilities and career interruptions. 

• Taken together, the data reinforces a longstanding structural dynamic. Gender pay gaps are less about individual pay decisions and more about who progresses, who is rewarded, and who occupies senior and higher paid roles over time. Discretionary pay (including bonuses and allowances) plays a significant role, reflecting not just performance, but visibility, opportunity, and access to influence. 

These patterns are rarely the result of a single decision. Instead, they emerge over time through a series of moments that shape career trajectories. 

These moments are transition points where roles, identity, expectations and support structures shift, often subtly, but with long-term consequences. 

At Transitioning Well, we think about the gender pay gap through the lens of key transitions, or ‘moments of truth’ that have the potential to derail, but also provide opportunities for significant personal and organisational growth. 

Why transitions matter in closing the gender pay gap 

Pay gaps don’t emerge from a single salary negotiation. Gaps accumulate in the spaces between roles. In the return from parental leave that quietly sidelines someone for the next promotion. In restructures that push experienced women out. In work  environments that don’t  support a women  through menopause or other health transitions. In the step into leadership that occurs without adequate support, or doesn’t occur at all.  

Transitions determine: 

• Who stays and who leaves 

• Who progresses and who plateaus 

• Who feels supported and who disengages 

• Who gains access to leadership pathways and who does not and who stays still 

WGEA’s Ages and Wages report, released late last year, also makes the cumulative toll hard to ignore. The financial cost of the gender pay gap accelerates across a woman’s lifetime, peaking in the late 50s at a difference of $53,000 a year, with a key turning point identified at age 34. What this shows is how women navigating multiple transitions often absorb the cost of systems that were not designed with their realities in mind, unless organisations intervene deliberately.  

This matters at the leadership level too. Just 22% of CEOs are women, and while 43% of managers are women, that figure drops sharply at senior levels (WGEA 2025). Supporting women through the transition into leadership, not just placing them into roles, is one of the most direct and underutilised levers available to  organisations. Sustainable change requires action that addresses how people are recruited, promoted, supported, and retained and transition through their careers. 

What organisations can do 

WGEA is clear that analysing pay gap data is only the starting point. The harder work is knowing where to act. What we see at the coalface is that the organisations making the most progress are looking beyond policies, targets and reporting frameworks. They’re examining the day-to-day experiences that shape career progression, and treating the moments of transition as the place where inclusion takes hold (and where it quietly doesn’t). 

For example, leadership transitions. Each passage through the leadership pipeline, from learning to lead to being a leader of leaders and becoming an executive or partner, requires a fundamental shift in identity, values and ways of working. What made someone successful at the previous level doesn’t automatically or always transfer. And that gap, when unacknowledged and unsupported, is where confidence can falters and capable people hesitate or step back. 

For women, this can carry additional weight. The pressures and challenges of life as a female leader by managing perceptions, navigating competing demands during periods of organisational change don’t arrive in isolation. They arrive alongside everything else: health changes, caring responsibilities for both kids and ageing parents, and in the moments where professional identity and personal life pull in different directions all at once. 

By intentionally supporting people through the key transitions that define their working lives, organisations can address some of the most persistent and preventable drivers of the gender pay gap and build workplaces where talent, not circumstance or gender, determines outcomes. 

The post Addressing the Gender Pay Gap Through Better Transitions  appeared first on Transitioning Well.

Picture this: You’re a working parent managing two school-aged children. Your phone buzzes. Another class WhatsApp message – one of 2,914 you’ll receive this year.

“Parents, brace yourselves,” warns Georgie Dent, CEO of The Parenthood. Beyond those relentless messages lies an even bigger challenge: “1,244 invisible admin tasks — planning school pickups, managing extracurriculars, booking medical appointments.” Add it all up, and working parents are performing three months of unpaid, unseen labor on top of their regular jobs. The price tag for this invisible work? A staggering $10,990 at minimum wage.

This invisible mental load is crushing working parents worldwide, manifesting as a constant cycle of stress, overwhelm, and guilt. While the landscape of work has changed in the last few years, the challenge of managing this unseen labour alongside professional responsibilities remains unsolved. The post-pandemic era has ushered in lasting changes to how we think about work, family, and the integration of both—but has it done enough to address this hidden burden?

Not really.

For all our modern progress, we still aren’t setting up parents to flourish at work. But wouldn’t it be great to set up working parents for success rather than failure? 

We can, and that’s where role design comes in.   

Organisations today are responsible for addressing and mitigating workplace psychosocial hazards—including role design.  Psychosocial hazards refer to work aspects that can harm employees’ psychological health and wellbeing. These hazards include workplace stress, bullying, harassment, excessive workload, and inadequate support systems.  

Role design is the secret sauce to keeping your working parents engaged and happy. Ok, onsite childcare, autonomy and flexibility go a long way too.  

What is role design?  

Role or job design refers to the duties and tasks required to perform a role and how those tasks and duties are structured and scheduled. 

Role design helps to determine what tasks are done, how the tasks are done, how many tasks are done and in what order the tasks are done.

Principles of good role design: 

1. Actively involve the people who do the work. 
2. Engage decision makers and leaders. 
3. Identify hazards, assess and control risks, and seek continuous improvement. 
4. Learn from experts, evidence, and experience.

Approaches to role design include:

Job Enlargement: Job enlargement changes the jobs to include more and/or different tasks. Job enlargement should add interest to the work but may or may not give employees more responsibility.

Rotation: Job rotation moves employees from one task to another. It distributes the group tasks among a number of employees.

Enrichment: Job enrichment allows employees to assume more responsibility, accountability, and independence when learning new tasks or to allow for greater participation and new opportunities.

Work Design (Job Engineering): Work design allows employees to see how the work methods, layout and handling procedures link together as well as the interaction between people and equipment/technology.

The Smart Framework

Using the SMART framework in designing effective work involves setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals, ensuring clarity, accountability, and a structured approach that enhances productivity and success in the workplace.

Increase job resources:

• S   Provide stimulating work.
• M  Provide mastery resources.
• A   Provide agency.
• R   Foster relational resources.

Ensure tolerable demands:

• T   Create tolerable job demands – load and time, emotional, role, cognitive, environment and physical, and relational.
• Create tolerable organisational demands – organisational change, organisational justice and job security.

Why it matters  

Returning to work after parental leave can be a daunting prospect, as parents often face the dual challenge of readjusting to professional responsibilities while ensuring the wellbeing of their growing families.  

“Supporting parents with their return to work is not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” says our co-founder, Justine Alter. 

“Put simply, if you don’t support parents, you will lose them,” she says. “Employees want to know that there’s a culture of support for them. That could mean flexibility, it could mean clear pathways to promotion, or it could be something else entirely. It’s going to be different for everyone. What remains the same is that need for a culture of support. And organisations that don’t offer that, that don’t support parents, won’t attract or retain the best talent.” 

What working parents want

Autonomy  

When autonomy is incorporated into role design, people are empowered to make decisions, set goals, and determine how they accomplish their work. 

Autonomy at work offers several benefits: 

1. It enhances job satisfaction by giving individuals a sense of ownership and control over their work. This, in turn, contributes to increased motivation and engagement. 
2. Autonomy fosters creativity and innovation as employees have the freedom to explore different approaches to their tasks. 
3. It promotes a healthier life-work integration as individuals can tailor their work to better suit their personal needs and responsibilities. 

There is a caveat to this — the level of autonomy should be balanced, as excessive autonomy without appropriate guidance or support may lead to feelings of isolation or uncertainty. Striking the right balance in role design, where employees have a reasonable level of autonomy coupled with clear expectations and support systems, contributes to a more effective and satisfying work environment. 

Flexible work arrangements 

One of the key aspects of crafting role design for returning parents is flexible work arrangements. This may include options such as remote work, flexible hours, or compressed workweeks. Such flexibility supports work-life integration and empowers parents to manage their responsibilities at home while meeting their professional commitments.

Some helpful tips:

• Encourage employees to be open about what they need in terms of work/life integration.
• Curiosity and respect will go a long way when having conversations with employees.
• Ask, don’t assume!
• When considering the needs of working parents, don’t forget about fathers and non-birth parents.

Find all our practical guidance and resources for supporting parents and carers in the workplace here.

The post Role design: How to make work more parent-friendly appeared first on Transitioning Well.

By Dr Sarah Cotton

As we transition back into work mode after the holidays, you’re not alone if you are struggling to get into flow. It’s normal to find the adjustment difficult after enjoying a slower pace over the holidays and then needing to step back into the old rhythms and routines of our working lives.  

Luckily, there are a few strategies to make the transition back into work in 2026 much smoother. Read on for tips from our co-founder, Dr Sarah Cotton.   

 
Remember, it’s not just you transitioning back 

For those of us that may still have full homes (partners still on leave, kids still on school holidays), it may take some time for those around to adjust to us heading back to work and not being as present to put another coat on the clay creation at the drop of a hat.   

Having a conversation about this and naming it can be really helpful – we have a well-worn saying at TW, “Even if it is uncomfortable to have the conversation choose discomfort not resentment.”

It might mean putting in place some strategies to help you stay somewhat sane in the last few weeks of the January Juggle (i.e., scheduling a lunch break that enables you to get the kids lunch if they are around, or letting the kids know that if they need lifts, you will need some notice to be able to schedule drop-offs around meetings).  

Know that we’re all feeling it   

It’s not just you — even those who love their jobs can find the transition back (or seasonal comedown) from holidays tricky.  

If you’re a leader, empathise with colleagues, and don’t expect everyone to be back all guns blazing.  

Refresh your workspace   

This can be particularly beneficial if you work from home or have spent a lot of time at home during the break. Clean up your workspace and declutter. Creating a tidy and more personal space can improve your mood.  

Plan another break   

Are you already dreaming about your next holiday? Book it! Use this time to plan your next break. It will give you something to look forward to and work towards.  

Get back to basics 

Don’t forget about those building blocks of good health during times of transition – eat, move, sleep, and connect. Uncover the habits and behaviours that make you most energised, happy and healthy in your daily life, and embrace an experimental mindset to try new approaches in 2026. 

Know what you enjoy about work  

We know that good work is good for us. It helps build connection, mental stimulation, and a sense of purpose and gives structure to our day. In the work we do in the retirement transition, people often miss these things the most when they are no longer working.  

Focus on the opportunities, not the challenges 

Often, we get stuck by our own fixed return mindsets and boundaries. Spend some time considering what you want to spend more or less time doing in work and life.  

The new year brings the opportunity to get out of autopilot and not revert to the same, staid ways of doing things.

The post How to adjust after the holidays appeared first on Transitioning Well.

By Transitioning Well

“The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.”

-Warren Buffet

With workplace mental health claims now averaging 29 weeks of leave (Safe Work Australia), the importance of rest and recovery has never been more critical. Yet many leaders and their teams work relentlessly until the last possible moment, carrying exhaustion and a heavy mental load into their break.

Our psychologists – Dr Eleanor De-Ath Miller, Vanessa Miles, and Gagan Mudhar – share evidence-based strategies to help your team genuinely recharge and return stronger in 2026.

The science of switching off

“The higher the mental load we carry into the holidays, the less we’re able to switch off — and the longer it takes to recover,” says Dr Eleanor De-Ath Miller. 

“People have less chance of more complete recovery or rest if they’re going on leave completely exhausted, so being proactive in helping people leave work behind is important.”  

Action Steps for Leaders:

• Set clear, realistic expectations before the holiday period
• Actively observe signs of stress or overwhelm
• Take responsibility for managing workload demands
• Create buffer zones between work and holiday periods

The power of intentionally slowing down

“Working until the last minute doesn’t allow people to process tasks, deadlines, and issues,” notes Gagan Mudhar. “A deliberate wind-down period is essential for mental processing and true recovery.”

Practical strategies:

1. Audit team priorities: Distinguish between essential tasks and pre-holiday pressure
2. Create transition time: Build in reflection and handover periods
3. Establish clear communication protocols for the break
4. Set realistic January expectations

Mastering the art of ‘no’ 

For leaders and teams alike, we all want to connect with others during the holidays but it can get a bit much in December and January. Depending on what else is going on in our lives (and the level of recovery we need), Eleanor recommends setting boundaries around events.

Ask yourself (and your people):

• Which events are truly non-negotiable? 
• What aligns with current energy levels and capacity?
• What can wait until energy reserves are replenished?

Instead of yes as a default to all invitations, try letting people know you’ll think about it and get back to them or even practice ways to say no says Eleanor. 

Reflection and reset

When thinking about the year that was, it’s important for leaders to engage in meaningful conversations with the team says Gagan. Asking questions such as “How was this year for you?” and “What could I have done differently to support you?” opens up channels for constructive feedback and helps identify areas for improvement. Additionally, reflecting on the team’s collective experience and the leader’s role during critical moments can unearth valuable insights.

Key questions for leaders to ask their people 

• What are the key priorities right now?
• What is necessary/critical and what is pre-holiday pressure, but actually not essential?
• What help do you need (specifically) so that you can do what you need to do?
• What do you need to have tied up so that you can actually switch off on holidays? 
• How can I help you do that?

7 types of rest

Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith’s 7 types of rest offers a valuable framework for understanding your team’s individual needs says Vanessa. 

The 7 types of rest: 

Physical Rest: The need for adequate sleep, relaxation, and recovery for the body.

Mental Rest: Taking a break from cognitive tasks and allowing the mind to unwind.

Emotional Rest: Nurturing emotional well-being and finding sources of joy and comfort.

Social Rest: Balancing social interactions by choosing connections that bring replenishment rather than drain.

Sensory Rest: Reducing exposure to overstimulating environments and giving the senses a break.

Creative Rest: Stepping away from routine and engaging in activities that inspire creativity.

Spiritual Rest: Connecting with something greater than oneself, finding purpose, and seeking inner peace. 

Leaders can remind their teams to consider the type of rest they require during the holidays, fostering a holistic approach to recovery. 

Energy-auditing

Leaders cannot guide their teams to a refreshed start if they are not walking the talk themselves. “Whatever they’re saying to their teams, also applies to them but with a need to be really self-aware and intentional. There shouldn’t be a second set of rules,” says Eleanor. Recommending leaders take some time to reflect and think about, How am I going to rest and recuperate? What is energising?  

“Leaders should identify habits that hinder their ability to switch off and, when necessary, seek the support of trusted peers who can provide constructive feedback,” says Gagan. 

Leaders can do this by conducting an energy-audit: a quick exercise to take stock of which things are draining their energy in lead up to the holidays (and therefore need to be managed), and which are building their energy (and therefore need to do more of). 

“Conducting an energy audit allows leaders to pinpoint activities that drain or replenish their energy, aiding in a more mindful approach in the lead up to the holidays.” 

Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the post-holiday landscape for their teams. By adopting a proactive and reflective approach, they can pave the way for a truly refreshed start and help promote a positive and energised work environment in 2026.  

Keen to support your team in 2026? Book a call to learn how we can help you deliver lasting change in your organisation.

Find out more

The post A Leader’s Guide to Meaningful End-of-Year Recovery appeared first on Transitioning Well.

By Sarah Alwyn

The end-of-year rush hits differently now. While holiday season stress isn’t new, today’s always-on culture and hybrid work environments have amplified workplace mental health challenges.

The Black Dog Institute reports that one in six working-age Australians are currently experiencing a mental health illness, with workplace stress being a significant contributor. This pressure often intensifies during December, when shorter deadlines collide with increased social commitments and year-end responsibilities.

As a leader, recognising and responding to stress signals – both in yourself and your team – is crucial. Beyond Blue’s research indicates that while many people maintain a brave face during December’s busy period, mental health support services see a significant spike in demand during January, suggesting the cumulative impact of holiday season stress often surfaces after the break.

Key warning signs to watch

• Working extended hours over a prolonged period: starting early and finishing late
• Difficulties managing boundaries between work and home: answering emails and responding to texts at night
• Forgetting to eat and to take a break at the appropriate time
• Missing an important work meeting or family event due to being too distracted or overwhelmed
• Irritability and easily prone to anger
• Reduced energy, fatigue and lowered mood
• Anxious thoughts – self-doubt and reduced confidence in making decisions
• Lapses in concentration and making mistakes
• Disrupted sleep
• Change to appetite

What leaders can do to better look after ourselves and our people

The good thing is, we can manage stress and there are many things you can do to ensure you are looking after yourself and your team.

These don’t require too much physical or emotional exertion, just some consideration and intention based on the following:

• Call out and name the warning signs and symptoms (as noted above) – this provides clarity and a better understanding of the impact of the current situation
• Be clear about start and finish times before the day begins, to ensure you keep timeframes in-check
• Use ‘moments’ to manage the pace of your day by stopping for brief seconds/minutes to acknowledge how you feel and create space to momentarily pause, breathe and engage in movement
• Diarise in your online calendar specific timeframes for daily meal, bathroom and brief rest breaks – to create importance about these necessary activities
• Check-in on people who are displaying warning signs of stress or a decline in mental health and wellbeing – ask them how they are feeling, offer support, and explore what may help to reduce the impact of stress
• Encourage team members to look after themselves by communicating regularly about how to manage their wellbeing at work – by taking rest breaks and maintaining strong social/collegiate connections and speaking-up when they need support
• And importantly, lead by example. Be intentional about prioritising actions that reduce stress and promote wellbeing. Maintain consistent communication with your people about the significance of these efforts.

The holiday season is a busy time, so take note of the warning signs of stress and be intentional about how to look after yourself and your valued team members.

Planning for the January transition

In Australia, we often see an increase in mental health issues in January – people are often stressed in the lead-up to Christmas, but it’s afterwards that issues can surface. As a leader, it’s worth keeping this in mind and noticing changes in how your people behave.

Lifeline Australia reports a 15-20% increase in calls during January, highlighting the need for proactive support planning. Consider:

• Scheduling lighter workloads for early January
• Planning regular check-ins with team members
• Being alert to post-holiday stress signals
• Having support resources readily available
• Encouraging use of EAP services and wellbeing resources proactively.

Businesses across NSW have access to free coaching from a highly trained expert to help create or fine-tune your mentally healthy workplace. Through confidential one-on-one sessions, a coach will help address issues or identify risks to mental health within your business and give you practical tools and strategies to manage them. Find out more here. 

The post Managing Workplace Stress During the Holiday Season appeared first on Transitioning Well.

This article draws from insights shared during a recent webinar on Managing Occupational Violence and Aggression featuring Dr Kim Hamrosi, CEO, Corporate Mental Health Alliance; Angela Konstantopoulos, General Manager – Health, Safety & Wellbeing, Coles; Georgie Chapman, Partner, HR Legal; Keith Govias, Workplace Health & Safety Manager, Employers Mutual Limited; and Dr Leah Collins, Clinical & Health Psychologist, Transitioning Well. 

The statistics are sobering: 87% of retail workers have experienced verbal abuse from customers, while 12.5% report physical violence. More troubling still, more than half of these workers face repeated aggression from the same customers. For an industry employing hundreds of thousands of Australians (many in their first jobs) these figures represent a crisis that demands urgent attention.

Recent data from a 2023 survey of more than 4,600 retail workers reveals a workplace violence epidemic that’s reshaping how major retailers approach staff safety. At Coles, which employs over 115,000 team members across more than 1,800 retail sites, incidents of customer violence and aggression have surged nationally, with Victoria showing the highest rates.

Angela Konstantopoulos, General Manager of Health, Safety and Wellbeing at Coles, explains that workplace violence in retail exists on a concerning spectrum. “A lot of what our team members face is that real daily incivility,” she notes. “Whether it’s the eye roll or the huffing and puffing, folding your arms, or passive aggressive comments towards our team. After a while that can build up and become quite distressing.”

This daily erosion of civility escalates through verbal aggression to abuse and can lead to physical assault.

Perfect Storm of Contributing Factors

Multiple factors have converged to create this crisis. The cost-of-living pressures are having a direct impact on customer behaviour, while the political spotlight on supermarkets has created a space that Konstantopoulos describes as giving “people permission sometimes to abuse our team members because of what they see on TV.”

Community reforms and broader social changes have also contributed to an environment where retail workers, often young people in their first jobs, face unprecedented levels of aggression and incivility.

Legal Landscape and Compliance

The regulatory environment is evolving rapidly. New psychosocial hazard management regulations have been implemented across all states and territories except Victoria, though Victoria will join later this year. These regulations require organisations to identify psychosocial hazards, understand associated risks, and implement control measures.

Georgie Chapman, Partner at HR Legal, emphasises that while workplace health and safety obligations have always covered both physical and psychological safety, the new regulations provide clearer guidance on compliance. “The reality is the obligations were already there, but the regulations are really explaining how we go about it,” she explains.

The legal risks are significant. Beyond workers’ compensation claims, organisations face potential prosecution for failing to meet safety obligations. A recent case involving a school where inadequate emergency response systems led to prosecution demonstrates the serious consequences of poorly implemented safety processes.

Coles’ Response Strategy

Coles has developed a sophisticated three-phase approach to tackling this issue: prevent, protect, and care. The prevention strategy focuses on “target hardening” that is, making stores more difficult for potential perpetrators to enter and exit quickly. This includes strategic product decisions, such as removing knives from sale to prevent weapons access.

The company has developed an advanced risk profiling tool that incorporates multiple data points: incident reports, demographics, proximity to transport and police stations, operating hours, and location. This system helps identify higher-risk stores for targeted interventions.

Where needed, some high-risk stores receive enhanced security measures including security guards, body-worn cameras for staff (activated when feeling unsafe), duress watches for isolated workers enabling immediate police response, alarms for overnight staff, store-wide headset systems for rapid team communication, and threatening situation toolkits for management.

However, staff feedback indicates that while security devices provide confidence, de-escalation training delivers the most value. “The training puts them in control, gives them those tools they can use,” Konstantopoulos explains. This training emphasises that staff safety takes priority over protecting stock, with clear messaging from the CEO down that “your life is worth more than protecting stock.”

“And I think that’s really important for a workplace culture to know that this is not OK,” Konstantopoulos says. “We support you in this, and we’re doing everything we can to stop it.”

Trauma-Informed Processes

Recognising that traditional incident investigation approaches can re-traumatise affected staff, Coles has implemented trauma-informed investigation processes. Their safety team has received specialised training to prevent repeated retelling of traumatic events while still gathering necessary information for making improvements to minimise further risk. The company has found that informal support — “sitting down with a work colleague or your line manager, having a cup of tea and really just being there for them”— often provides more immediate benefit than formal psychological intervention.

Young Workers

The impact on young workers entering retail as their first employment is particularly concerning. Many lack life experience to contextualise aggressive behaviour, and the cumulative effect of daily incivility can be overwhelming. There’s a real risk that fear of workplace violence could drive young people away from retail careers, creating long-term workforce sustainability issues.

Dr Leah Collins, clinical psychologist at Transitioning Well, notes that resilience to unpleasant events grows with exposure, but younger workers need additional support to develop these coping mechanisms safely.

Leading Indicators and Early Intervention

Keith Govias from EML emphasises the importance of monitoring leading indicators rather than waiting for serious incidents. Key metrics include:

• Training completion rates
• Employee Assistance Program usage
• Absenteeism patterns
• Customer service complaint trends
• Environmental factors like store temperature and noise levels
• Queue management effectiveness

Simple environmental improvements can significantly reduce customer friction and frustration. Govias notes that customers become more aggressive in excessively hot stores or when unable to hear staff due to noise levels.

Practical Strategies

For retailers looking to address workplace violence, experts recommend:

Start with Simple Reporting: Avoid complex investigation forms for minor incidents. Coles uses multiple reporting tools feeding into a single system, allowing pattern recognition from micro-aggressions through to serious assaults.

Consultation is Key: Regular staff consultation every three months helps organisations stay ahead of evolving risks. Team members can quickly identify what works and what doesn’t.

Risk-Scaled Responses: Apply appropriate investigation levels based on incident severity. Minor incivility doesn’t require the same response as serious assault, but both need capturing for trend analysis.

Regular Review: Avoid “set and forget” approaches. Regular monitoring, revision, and adaptation ensure controls remain effective as circumstances change.

Industry-Wide Mental Health Implications

The retail violence crisis extends beyond individual companies. With 30% of Australian workers reporting ongoing mental health conditions and particularly high rates in food services (19%) and retail (17.1%), the industry faces a significant challenge in maintaining workforce wellbeing.

The emergence of new phenomena like “swarming events”— where groups coordinate to overwhelm stores and steal high-value items — demonstrates how quickly threats can evolve, requiring constant vigilance and adaptation.

As the regulatory environment tightens and community expectations around workplace safety increase, retailers must view violence prevention as a business necessity. The cost of inaction, in terms of staff turnover, workers’ compensation claims, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage, far exceeds investing in prevention.

Successful retailers will be those that embrace comprehensive approaches combining technology, training, environmental design, and genuine care for staff wellbeing.

Download your free webinar and resource

Interested in more insights? You can access our webinar: Managing Occupational Violence and Aggression and receive Transitioning Well’s free Occupational Violence and Aggression resource. 

Access the webinar here.

The post The rising tide of occupational violence and aggression in retail    appeared first on Transitioning Well.

When we think of workplace trauma, our minds immediately jump to first responders, social workers, and those on the frontline. But what about the customer service worker who just took a call from a victim of family and domestic violence? Or the IT worker tasked with reviewing flagged content containing child abuse material? These workers are experiencing vicarious trauma, and they’re largely invisible to their employers.

Recent research by Churchill Trust Fellow Amy Nicholas reveals trauma exposure in the workplace has evolved beyond traditional frontline roles. Her mapping of trauma-exposed professions shows that workers we’d never expect are now encountering traumatic content regularly, often without recognition, support, or the resources to cope.

Our now largely online world has changed who encounters trauma at work. Nicholas’s research identifies a “new digital frontline” where staff routinely encounter traumatic content from their desks. Admin workers process insurance claims involving fatal accidents. Customer service teams field calls from people in crisis. Academics research sensitive topics involving violence and abuse. IT workers analyse digital evidence containing disturbing material. These workers often face a greater volume and frequency of indirect trauma than their traditional counterparts, yet they remain largely “out of view” when it comes to workplace mental health support.

Image: Mitigating Vicarious Trauma: Adopting an occupational safety approach. Report: Churchill Trust.

Even more surprising are the roles with “emergent recognition,” where trauma exposure is only beginning to be understood. Content moderators for social media platforms view thousands of disturbing posts daily. Digital forensics analysts examine evidence from the darkest corners of the internet. Court workers process cases involving the worst of humanity. These workers share a common experience: their trauma exposure is unexpected, unrecognised, and unsupported.

The role of workplaces

Exposure to harmful content at work isn’t just a wellbeing concern, it’s a legal workplace safety issue. Safe Work Australia defines exposure to traumatic events or materials as a psychosocial hazard that can cause both psychological and physical harm. The definition includes listening to or seeing traumatic materials, reading victim testimonies, supporting trauma victims, and exposure to content that triggers traumatic memories. Employers have a legal duty to identify if psychosocial hazards, including traumatic events or materials, are present in their workplace and take steps to eliminate or minimise these risks. This means that organisations can no longer claim ignorance about trauma exposure in unexpected roles, they must actively assess and address these hazards.

Australian data shows psychological injury claims involving trauma exposure average $56,455 per claim, with workers losing a median of 28.4 weeks of work (Safe Work, 2024). Allianz reports that psychological workers’ compensation claims have increased 50 percent over five years, with average costs up 30 percent.

But the visible costs are just the beginning. A study from Safe Work Australia reveals that workers experiencing psychological distress take 43 percent more sick days and show 154 percent higher performance loss than their colleagues, equating to an average cost of $6,309 per worker annually. When compounded across an organisation, these hidden costs add up.

Organisational risks

• Compromised service delivery and work quality
• Eroded team culture
• Increased workplace conflict
• Higher staff turnover
• Increased recruitment and training costs
• Reputational damage
• Legal exposure and insurance premium increases

Unlike physical injuries that are reported immediately, psychological trauma often emerges after prolonged exposure, creating risks where multiple claims may surface simultaneously as awareness increases.

The problem is these workers are encountering trauma without the protective frameworks their frontline counterparts can access. For example, first responders have debriefing protocols, peer support programs, and cultural acceptance of their exposure. Hidden trauma workers often don’t even realise what they’re experiencing has a name.

HR leaders and their organisations may need to expand their understanding of who is at risk. That means looking beyond obvious roles to examine who else in the workplace might encounter:

• Detailed accounts of violence or abuse
• Graphic imagery or disturbing content
• Distressing audio or video material
• Intense emotional interactions with people in crisis
• Repetitive exposure to human suffering through documentation

Taking a proactive approach

Proven prevention strategies include role design that limits exposure, rotation systems, peer support programs, and clear protocols for managing disturbing content. Most importantly, organisations need to create cultures where workers feel safe discussing their exposure without fear of being seen as weak or unsuitable for their roles.

For employers, the choice is either invest in supporting these overlooked workers now, or pay far more in turnover, productivity losses, and workers’ compensation claims later.

Your admin staff, customer service team, and support workers deserve the same protection as any frontline responder. The question is: what will you do to support them?

Learn more about how Transitioning Well can help your organisation

Delivered by our workplace and trauma experts, our suite of trauma-informed practice training is designed to equip your team with the skills and techniques they need to create a safe and supportive workplace. 

Contact us to learn more

Read about our trauma-informed practice training work with Qantas

The post Are your people experiencing hidden trauma at work? appeared first on Transitioning Well.

What happens when two working parents, both facing the challenges of balancing career and family, decide enough is enough?

Enter Justine Alter and Dr. Sarah Cotton, the founders of Transitioning Well. Justine was on parental leave with her third child, Sarah was pregnant with her second, and both were feeling completely overwhelmed by what lay ahead. They were struggling, and more importantly, they knew they weren’t alone.

That’s when the lightbulb moment happened. “We started talking about how there just wasn’t enough support in the workplace for working parents,” Sarah remembers. “Then I said, ‘I’d love to start a business supporting working parents’ and Justine said, ‘I’m in’. We’d only just met, but that shared passion sparked something big, and the rest is history.”

“We thought if we could make a difference to even just one working parent, it would be worthwhile,” Sarah reflects. Fast forward to today, and Transitioning Well has helped thousands. “I can still remember what it felt like when I coached my first parental leave coaching client all those years ago.”

As organisational psychologists, Justine and Sarah weren’t just winging it. They were intentional about taking an evidence-based approach to supporting the transition from working person to working parent. Their work with Federal and State government projects has only strengthened Transitioning Well’s expertise in this space.

“Fast forward to now, and while our services have grown significantly, supporting the transition to parenthood remains at the heart of what we do,” Justine explains. “What’s changed the most? Organisations. When we first introduced parental leave coaching, many weren’t ready. But now, we’re seeing a real shift, not just in uptake, but in mindset.”

Employers aren’t just looking at parental leave coaching anymore. They’re building leadership capability so managers actually know how to support working parents. There’s also growing interest in supporting parents way beyond that first year and in fertility and loss support, too.

What’s behind this big shift?

“So much has changed, especially since COVID, improved WGEA reporting and the introduction of psychosocial regulations,” Sarah explains. “It’s never been more important for organisations to manage the risks and evolving workplace needs that come at times of transition like this one.”

It’s not just about supporting employees, it’s about building consistent leadership capability to avoid what they call “the boss lottery.” Your experience as a working parent shouldn’t depend on whether you have a supportive manager.

Transitioning Well offers a complete ecosystem for supporting working parents – from fertility and pregnancy loss, right through to parental leave, return-to-work, and those ongoing seasons of parenthood that stretch way beyond the early years.

Everything’s delivered by trusted psychologists who work closely with employees and leaders every step of the way. Based on what clients actually need, TW offers parental leave coaching (with digital support tools), webinars and workshops for parents, managers and HR teams, specialised support programs, and bespoke consulting services tailored to specific organisational challenges. 

What’s Next?

“It’s fair to say we’re really excited about our next decade, and seeing our work to support working parents continue to evolve,” Sarah reflects.

“I think back to that first parent we supported, and I’m proud, not just of how far we’ve come but how far our clients have come,” Justine shares. “Because when people feel supported through life’s biggest transitions, they don’t just stay, they thrive. And that’s what we’re here for, to help people live well and work well.”

Learn more about how Transitioning Well’s end-to-end parent support can transform your workplace. Contact us to find out more about our comprehensive coaching, workshops, and specialised support services.

The post Building better workplaces for working parents appeared first on Transitioning Well.

New research confirms what we’ve long said: You have to be well to lead well.

A recent study from WorkWell Leaders in partnership with the National University of Singapore has delivered findings that validate what forward-thinking workplace wellbeing practitioners have been advocating for years: leader wellbeing is 11 times more effective at driving organisational performance than employee participation in stress management or resilience programs.

Let that sink in for a moment.

While organisations continue to pour resources into employee wellness apps, EAPs, workshops, and resilience training (all valuable initiatives), the research reveals another story: the wellbeing of leaders themselves is the single most powerful lever for organisational transformation.

The research

The WorkWell Leaders Impact Measure study analysed over 200 factors across organisations to understand what truly drives workplace wellbeing and performance. What emerged was a clear hierarchy of influence that challenges conventional thinking about where to invest our wellbeing resources.

The findings reveal leader wellbeing is:

• 56 times more effective in shaping organisational wellbeing than stress management programs
• The third most important factor influencing overall organisational performance
• 11 times more impactful than employee stress management programs
• 4 times more effective than employee wellbeing apps

Dr Reuben Ng, principal researcher on the study, sums up these findings perfectly: “Ignoring these factors isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a significant business risk.”

What leading well really means

The research defines leader wellbeing as the overall mental, emotional, physical, and social health of CEOs and leaders. But here’s where it gets interesting… and where many organisations miss the mark.

It’s not enough for leaders to simply talk about values like compassion, courage, commitment, and clarity. The study found that it’s how these values are demonstrated through daily actions that creates real impact. For example, practising compassion has six times the impact on organisational wellbeing compared to just talking about it.

The ripple effect

These findings arrive at a critical time. Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace Report reveals that global employee engagement has declined to just 21 per cent, with managers experiencing the largest drop in engagement levels. The global cost of disengagement? It’s $438 billion.

This confirms what we’ve long seen at the coalface – when leaders aren’t well, it affects the entire organisation. Disengaged leaders create disengaged teams, perpetuating a cycle that undermines performance, innovation, and workplace culture.

But here’s the flip side, the research suggests that fully engaging leaders and improving their wellbeing could unlock better productivity gains across the global workforce.

The investment paradox

Many organisations find themselves willing to spend significant resources on employee wellbeing programs, but they’re overlooking the multiplier effect of investing in their leaders’ wellbeing first.

Consider the maths: if leader wellbeing is 11 times more effective than traditional employee programs, shouldn’t resource allocation reflect this reality? Yet most organisations continue to approach wellbeing as an employee-focused initiative rather than a leadership-driven transformation.

The research also revealed that organisational wellbeing itself is the top factor for performance – suggesting that when we get leader wellbeing right, we create the conditions for broader organisational health that drives sustainable results.

Authentic leadership

The study’s emphasis on authentic leadership behaviours resonates deeply with current workplace trends. While some leaders may balk at being more vulnerable, we’re in an era where people (particularly younger workers) increasingly value transparency and purpose. Authentic leaders who demonstrate genuine commitment to wellbeing in turn create psychological safety and trust that enables teams to thrive.

This isn’t about perfection or having all the answers. It’s about leaders who recognise that their own wellbeing is not an afterthought, but a strategy that influences every decision, interaction, and outcome within their circle of influence.

Role design and clarity

The research also found wellbeing it is not only about how much people work; it is about whether the work works for them. Reducing workload or time pressure alone is not enough. To foster organisational wellbeing, work must be intentionally designed to be empowering.

For example, providing clarity around roles and responsibilities is 120 times more impactful for organisational wellbeing than simply managing workload or time pressure. Likewise, ensuring that employees have a chance to use a variety of skills is 119 times more effective than just keeping workloads manageable.

Where to now?

Instead of starting with employee programs and hoping the benefits trickle up, what if we began with leader wellbeing and allowed the positive effects to cascade down? Instead of treating leader wellbeing as an add-on to existing programs, what if we recognised it as the foundation upon which all other wellbeing initiatives are built?

This isn’t about abandoning employee-focused wellbeing initiatives, they are, of course, valuable and necessary. It’s about creating a more strategic, evidence-based approach that recognises where we can achieve the greatest impact with what is often limited resources.

The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in leader wellbeing. The question is whether you can afford not to.

See how we support the leaders in your organisation

The WorkWell Leaders Impact Measure study was conducted in partnership with the National University of Singapore. The study analysed over 200 factors across multiple organisations to understand the drivers of workplace wellbeing and performance. You can view the research here.

The post Why you have to be well to lead well appeared first on Transitioning Well.

Navigating late career 

The transition into late career (and later, retirement) can be one of life’s most challenging and disorienting periods.

For those experiencing this ‘moment of truth’, you might be craving a change, experiencing redundancy or disruption, taking on more caring responsibilities, or simply finding it difficult to figure out your next step.

Before we delve further into late career, it’s important to look at the context. Late career wasn’t a thing in your grandparents or possibly even your parents’ lives. Retirement as a concept didn’t really take hold until the Industrial Revolution. Previously, it was thought that older workers on farms and in factories would slow production, so private pensions were introduced as a means to move those aged 60 and over out of the labour force.

A 60-year-old today has a 50% chance of living to 90 or more.

Although Australia has had an old-age pension since 1909 (and, until superannuation was legislated in 1991), the general gist was you’d work until you physically couldn’t, then enjoy a few golden years before death. Retirement wasn’t a goal, but a short phase of not working. Today, of course, things are different. Now people are consciously choosing to reevaluate their careers later in life so they can be financially secure, support their family, and do the things that really matter to them in their second act.

What is late career?

Late career traditionally refers to the life-stage when we adjust to the prospect of retirement, typically defined as 55-70 years of age. However, two significant social changes are extending this late career stage considerably. Firstly, as we live longer and healthier lives, individuals can continue working well past any previous retirement age. Secondly, not everyone is financially able to spend these extra years of healthy living without an income.

With Australians aged 55 and over expected to make up 40 per cent of the adult population by 2050 and 71 per cent of workers now viewing work as part of their retirement journey, the traditional model of retirement at 65 is becoming less and less common.  

What can individuals in late career do?

Uncertainty in late career can emerge gradually or hit suddenly. Whether dealing with job loss, health challenges, family needs, or feeling ready for change, it’s OK to feel uncertain about your career direction.

Four key factors—work, wealth, home, health—are integral to our ability and motivation to keep working, and our feelings about retirement. In planning our late career, some useful questions to ask include:

1. Work: Is work (paid or unpaid) meeting your needs?
2. Wealth: What is your financial situation?
3. Home: What could your home life look like in late career?
4. Health: How happy are you with your physical and mental health?

Redefining career identity, navigating age bias, or adapting to new arrangements generates significant stress. Research shows that those facing late career transitions experience uncertainty, identity confusion, and career anxiety, with effects continuing long after initial adjustments.

Seek support from trusted colleagues and mentors, combined with skills development, networking and self-reflection. Access external help when needed, such as transition support, professional development programs, or Employee Assistance Programs.

The portfolio approach

Late career success increasingly depends on diversification, not just of investments, but of activities and identity. The most resilient late-career professionals engage in multiple activities rather than staying in one job. This might include consulting work, board positions, mentoring, volunteering, creative pursuits, family involvement, and community leadership. This portfolio approach is both an opportunity and a protective factor for mental health. When change occurs in one area, you have other meaningful activities to lean on.

Professional late career coaching provides structured support to navigate these complex transitions successfully, helping individuals clarify their vision, navigate ageism, design portfolio careers, manage financial transitions, and build resilience. 

With 5.57 million Australians aged over 45 currently in the workforce, and older Australians already contributing $39 billion per year in unpaid caring and voluntary work (rising to $74.5 billion including those aged 55-64), there’s now an emerging need for support and transition coaching for both organisations and individuals approaching late career.

How can organisations support workers in the late career phase?

First, like all transitions, an individual approach is key. Put aside assumptions about older workers and engage with each person about their specific circumstances. Late career transitions don’t follow set timelines – needs can change or emerge gradually as individuals face redundancy, caring responsibilities, health changes, or shifting priorities.

Organisationally, for someone struggling in the late career phase, this can present as increased absenteeism and lead to reduced innovation, knowledge transfer impacts, and accelerated talent loss.

Allow employees to make decisions about their career path. Someone facing redundancy may want reskilling, while someone seeking purpose may prefer mentoring opportunities. Consider flexible working arrangements, retraining programs, and phased retirement options.

Our resources

Partner transitioning coaching support

Whether you are retiring completely, switching to contract consultancy work, or wanting to ramp down sooner than later – you need a plan. Encompassing 6.5 hours of individual coaching around specific needs, our Partner Retirement Transitioning Coaching program provides the tools and resources to maximise transition success for partners in professional service firms. 

Learn more. 

Late Career and Retirement Management Capability Training (for Managers and HR)

Comprised of a suite of modules, and complemented by e-learning and online conversation simulations, this comprehensive training will equip your managers with the tools and skills they need to manage an ageing workforce, and assist in managing the transition to retirement.

Learn more. 

Workshops to support late career and retirement

Moving beyond the traditional financial and physical health considerations, our practical workshops unpack the common challenges or concerns that can come during the late career stage, and looks at the tools and resources we can use to navigate these, so that we can plan our late career in a way that is sustainable, and adaptable for our future selves.

Contact us to learn more. 

Maturity of Practice Index (MPI)

Transitioning Well’s MPI offers a unique mix of psychological, legal and business-focused perspectives to help build effective policies and procedures that support ageing and age-diverse workforces.

Learn more about how we can help you navigate late career transitions. 

The post Navigating late career appeared first on Transitioning Well.