Authored by: Bronwyn Dennis, Senior Consultant - Training & HR Solutions
In the public sector, compliance starts with culture, and culture starts with leaders committed to shaping, modelling, and sustaining the standards that our communities have every right to expect.
For government departments, preventing and responding to bullying, harassment and discrimination isn’t just about meeting legal obligations, it’s about upholding public trust. The communities we serve expect our workplaces to reflect the highest standards of integrity, respect and fairness. That’s why at iHR Australia, our philosophy is that compliance starts with culture, and leading respect begins with leadership.
The Foundation: Leadership and Culture in Leading Respect
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s guide for organisations to meet the positive duty obligation under the Sex Discrimination Act makes this crystal clear – the first two steps in their guidelines are leadership and culture. Leading respect means that leaders set the standard, and culture determines whether that standard becomes the daily, lived reality.
In the public sector, this leadership responsibility is magnified. Every interaction, every decision, every workplace conversation has the potential to reinforce, or undermine, the values government should embody. Leading respect requires intentional action from those in positions of influence.
The Impact of Strong vs. Weak Respect Leadership
When the culture is strong and leaders are leading respectfully, employees at all levels feel safe to speak up and trust the process as poor behaviour are addressed early. When it isn’t, issues can be minimised, ignored, or left to escalate, hence, damaging to individuals, teams, and ultimately the department’s credibility.
Culture influences whether an employee feels they can raise a concern, whether a bystander will step in, and whether a manager will address a problem directly or look the other way. Leading respect creates an environment where these positive behaviours become the norm.
Beyond Compliance: Why Leading Respect Requires More Than Tick-and-Flick Training
This is why tick-and-flick training – the bare minimum of compliance – falls short of genuinely leading with respect. Regulators and the courts have been clear: generic, one-off online modules are not enough to show an organisation has taken reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent unlawful conduct.
Leading respect demands a more comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of workplace issues, not just the symptoms.
How iHR Australia Supports Leading Respect Across Government Bodies
iHR Australia works with public sector organisations to build capability from the inside out, helping leaders excel at leading respectfully. We start with culture audits and workplace reviews that give leaders a genuine understanding of “what it’s like to work here”, highlighting both strengths and risks. This evidence forms the foundation for meaningful change.
From there, we can deliver immersive, actor-based training tailored to the realities of government workplaces. Staff learn to recognise inappropriate behaviours and understand the role they play in maintaining a safe and respectful environment. For managers, our program, Leasing Respect in the Workplace, focuses on the practical skills needed to:
- manage day-to-day performance
- set and reinforce expectations, and
- facilitate challenging conversations that address issues before they escalate.
In the public sector, culture is more than an HR concern – it’s a matter of accountability, transparency, and public confidence. Compliance isn’t achieved through policy alone; it’s demonstrated in how people treat one another when no one is watching.
For government departments, compliance starts with culture, and culture starts with leaders committed to shaping, modelling, and sustaining the standards that our communities have every right to expect.
Where to Next? Your Leading Respect Training Journey
Ready to move beyond tick-and-flick compliance training? Here’s your training-focused roadmap:
Assess and Upgrade Your Training
- Review current programs: Evaluate whether your training builds genuine leading respect skills or just meets minimum compliance
- Move to immersive learning: Replace generic online modules with interactive, scenario-based training tailored to government workplace realities
- Target all levels: Design specific programs for staff, supervisors, and senior leaders
Focus on Practical Skills
- Manager development: Train supervisors to give difficult feedback, address inappropriate behaviour early, and model respectful communication
- Staff awareness: Help employees recognise inappropriate behaviours and understand their role in leading respect
- Sustain the learning: Schedule regular refreshers and measure effectiveness through behavioural change, not just completion rates
Partner with iHR Australia
Transform your leading respect training with our government-focused solutions:
- Immersive, actor-based training tailored to public sector realities
- Practical skills development for managers and supervisors
- Evidence-based content that meets regulatory expectations
Contact our specialists to discuss training solutions that build genuine capability for leading respect in your workplace.
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Compliance Starts with Culture: The Public Sector’s Role in Leading Respectful Workplaces
