The statistics around the prevalence of domestic and family violence (DFV) in Australia are alarming and continue to be a cause for concern not only for households and the community, but also workplaces. The National Retail Association has created the Domestic Violence Retailer Support Hub to provide guidance for business owners wanting to take action.

• Australian retailers employ approximately 1.2 million people, and up to 100,000 may have experienced DFV.
• 1 in 6 female workers has experienced domestic and family violence with 1 in 5 women saying the violence continues at work.
• The cost of DFV to the Australian economy is estimated at $22 billion every year.

We can clearly see from these startling numbers that domestic violence has widespread effects, and many business owners feel ill-equipped to start a conversation about the issue with an employee. We understand business owners and managers are busy. It’s often challenging to operate your business, manage staff, attract customers, sell products, balance the books, meet your legal obligations, and implement positive change. It can seem daunting to address DFV in your workplace, but together we can make big differences if we all play a small part.

In light of Domestic Violence Prevention Month, we urge businesses to take action, educate yourselves on the prevalence and implications of DFV and develop an action plan in instances where employees are found to have suffered/is suffering from DFV.

Apart from personal impacts, DFV increases business costs, increases workplace safety risks, decreases productivity, and can have serious legal ramifications for employers if handled poorly. There are many resources and support services available, but it can be hard for a business owner to know where to start.

BUSINESS ACTION PLAN

3 steps to better prepare and manage domestic and family violence in your business.

For more resources and information on what you can do to appropriately manage those affected by DFV in the workplace, head to our website.