Search

Quality and consistency through collaboration

Welcome to the second edition of Workplace Watch, where we provide concise and insightful updates on the evolving landscape of employment and work, health and safety law.

The past six months, since the launch of our inaugural edition of Workplace Watch, has seen the labour market impacted by pressures on the cost of living and global uncertainty. Job vacancies remain well above pre-pandemic levels in health, education, construction, logistics, and professional services, while underemployment has begun to rise as employers moderate hiring and hours of work.  This  is shaping WHS outcomes: sectors with persistent labour shortages and high turnover are also those recording the highest rates of serious injuries and psychological harm.

Psychosocial risk continues to dominate the WHS landscape. Rising job demands, fatigue, reduced supervision, and increased reliance on inexperienced workers are contributing to sustained growth in mental health-related workers’ compensation claims.  Regulators have responded with more assertive enforcement, focusing on organisational systems and employment practices.

Employers are often now faced with increasing agitation in the workplace and the number of grievances and complaints arising from workplace interactions is continuing to grow. A timely and thought response is needed and in this edition we explore best practice for investigations 

AI is emerging as both an opportunity and a new source of WHS and employment risk.  Automation and AI-enabled decision-making may ease administrative load and reduce exposure to some physical hazards, but also introduce risks related to job redesign, surveillance, workload intensification, and the psychological impact of rapid technological change.  Regulators are beginning to consider how AI-driven systems fit within existing WHS duties.

Overall, the outlook is one of rising complexity: a labour force under pressure, a workforce facing evolving risks, and a WHS environment increasingly focused on the link between employment practices, technology, and worker wellbeing.

We hope you find this edition informative and thought-provoking as you navigate the shifting landscape of workplace law.  If there are future topics you would like to see covered, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Workplace team.

About Sparke Helmore

We’ve come a long way since our doors first opened in the Hunter in 1882.  We’ve had an office in Sydney since the ‘60s and we recently opened our tenth office in Cairns.

We cover six key areas of law – Corporate & Commercial, Commercial Insurance, Government, Property Environment & Finance, Statutory Lines of Insurance and Workplace – with more than 30 specialised areas of expertise. We’re a truly national, full service and proudly Australian firm that delivers results through deep collaboration with our clients. Wherever our clients need us, that’s where we’ll be.

Covering a big country needs a big team—we’re more than 1000 people now and still growing. And in true Australian spirit, we’re friendly, approachable and easy to work with. And when you work with one of us, you get the expertise of all of us.

Return To Top
Related articles
Media room