In every workplace there is a point where conflict becomes noticeable. A shift in tone. A pattern of side conversations. A team member signalling that something is not quite right. These moments are early indicators. Under the strengthened psychosocial safety requirements in Victoria (which commenced in law on 1 December 2025) and nationally, employers are expected to recognise these indicators and act. Not eventually. Not when a complaint is lodged. There is a need to act early.
Yet many organisations hesitate. It is rarely deliberate. Most leaders want a healthy team and a stable culture. But several predictable behaviours hold them back. Some leaders, organisations and workplace culture are conflict avoidant. They hope the tension will settle if left alone. Others think “this is between them” and assume they should not get involved. Many simply lack the skills or confidence to manage behavioural conversations and fear making things worse. And so, they wait. They hope. They monitor. They reassure themselves that they are across it and that it will resolve. We know this as we have been called in on many occasions when this has blown up and people are being harmed.
This delay is costly. Orgnisations believe they are intervening early because they have raised the issue once or made a general comment about expectations or sent an email restating their values and code of conduct expectations. But without structure and follow through, behaviour drifts back to baseline and conflict remains unresolved. People lose trust that anything meaningful will change, “that’s just how it is around here”. What was once manageable becomes a formal conflict, a relationship breakdown, or a case requiring external intervention.
Psychosocial Safety Requires More Than Good Intentions
The regulatory environment is clear. Employers must identify psychosocial hazards such as conflict, poor behaviour, power imbalance, and early signs of escalating frustration. They must consult with workers, implement controls, and then test whether those controls are working. A single conversation or a hopeful assumption simply does not meet the standard. Early intervention must be deliberate, documented, and supported.
What We Are Seeing Across Organisations
Across recent matters we have supported, we’ve seen some avoidable workplace conflicts or at least conflicts that did not have to become dysfunctional.
- Warning signs were visible for months (sometimes years!) but no one acted.
In one organisation employees had raised their concerns about a leader’s dismissive tone and inconsistent decision making. Everyone was aware of it, but leadership hesitated. Some hoped it would settle. Others believed they should not get involved because there was no formal complaint. By the time we were engaged the team was fatigued and the leader was overwhelmed. What could have been corrected through coaching became a full cultural repair process. - Attempts at intervention occurred but drifted due to lack of structure.
Another workplace addressed an employee’s unprofessional communication. It improved briefly. But without clear expectations or scheduled check ins, old habits returned. Staff became frustrated and questioned why leadership allowed regression to happen. “Management and HR never do anything useful”. The lapse caused more damage than the original behaviour and tainted the team’s view of the whole organisation not just the team. - External investigations identified issues but no proactive steps followed.
We commonly come into teams where there have been investigations into a specific issue or event, where even without a misconduct finding, the report clearly identifies behavioural risks. Some organisations hesitate because they fear acting on “grey” findings or worry they will be perceived as overreacting. This is the moment where proactive intervention matters most. Coaching, expectations setting, mediation, or leadership support are all appropriate and necessary responses.
Proactive Intervention Protects People
Proactive conflict work is not punitive. It provides clarity, restores confidence, and helps people move forward. It strengthens leadership capability and protects the organisation under psychosocial safety laws. When early signs of stress, frustration, or behavioural drift emerge, the most professional response is to act.
When your people signal a need, psychosocial safety demands a response. We can help you act early, act effectively, and build trust. Reach out to learn how.
