• Mitigating vicarious trauma – in conversation with Amy Nicholas
    Jun 27 2025
    Each year, the month of June is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about PTSD, a condition that can arise from various traumatic experiences, not just combat or obvious traumatic events. In this episode of the Judgemental Podcast, Kate and Greg recognise PTSD Awareness month by delving into the complexity of vicarious trauma – one of the twelve psychosocial risks. To help navigate this important conversation, they’re joined in the virtual bar by Amy Nicholas, author of the 2023 Churchill Fellowship-sponsored report, “Mitigating Vicarious Trauma: Adopting an Occupational Safety Approach.” Amy’s groundbreaking work draws on insights from leading global practitioners and academics who are dedicated to understanding, preventing, and responding to the harm associated with exposure to traumatic content.Together, Kate, Greg, and Amy unpack the report’s key findings, including:• The distinct “pathways” through which vicarious trauma can cause harm• The protective factors that organisations must intentionally design for• Practical work design controls and real-world case studies that offer hope and directionAs always, there’s a moment for the legal lens to come into focus—this time exploring the evolving landscape of codes of practice, regulation, and legislation surrounding psychosocial hazards in the workplace.So whether you're sipping a hot chocolate, a calming tea, or something a little stronger, pull up a seat in the virtual bar and join Kate, Greg, and Amy for a thoughtful, timely, and important conversation. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – Amy NicolasLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Mitigating vicarious trauma: adopting an occupational safety approachSafeWork NSW v Marist Youth Care Limited [2024] NSWDC74Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Reasonable management action within workers compensation systems
    Jun 24 2025
    In the third and final episode of the reasonable management action deep dive, the Judgemental team are joined by Erica Thuijs, Greg’s colleague and an expert in employer’s liability and workers compensation. In this episode, Erica, Kate and Greg take the discussion straight into the workplace to explore the nuances of the various workers compensation jurisdictions in Australia, whilst examining the key considerations for employers. Concepts such as ‘reasonableness’, ‘fairness’ and ‘harshness’ are reviewed from a multitude of angles – encompassing legal, psychological and safety considerations for the workplace.With the varied and somewhat opposing legal vs psychological frameworks in the mix, it’s another episode designed to nurture ponderings and reflections in the wonderful world of psychosocial risk. Grab a drink and join Kate, Greg and Erica at the bar. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – Erica ThijsLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:District court of Western Australia, Suleski -v- Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd, 17 August 2018High Court of Australia, Comcare v Martin [2016] HCA 43 (9 November 2016)Livingston, Jackson & Priestley (2021) Root causes analysis: Literature reviewDr Ivan Pupulidy and Crista Vesel - Human and Organisational PotentialElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    1 hr
  • Reasonable management action – A discussion about a FairWork Commission decision
    Jun 11 2025
    In this much-anticipated deep dive, the Judgemental team unpacks the complexities of “reasonable management action” through the lens of a fascinating 2014 Fair Work Commission case. The episode centres on an application to stop workplace bullying—brought not by a subordinate, but by a manager who claimed her team was targeting her with unreasonable bullying allegations and that she lacked support from higher management.This case raises compelling questions about what constitutes unreasonable behaviour, how bullying is defined in a legal context, and the broader implications for psychosocial risk and workplace health and safety.As always, Greg brings his sharp legal analysis, while Kate explores the psychological dimensions, offering listeners a rich, multidimensional perspective. With their contrasting yet complementary viewpoints, this episode is sure to spark thoughtful reflection on the evolving landscape of workplace dynamics and psychosocial risk.Grab a drink and settle in for another episode at the bar! Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Fair Work Commission Decision websiteElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    52 mins
  • Reasonable management action - let’s get this party started!
    May 21 2025
    It’s what judgemental listeners have been waiting for. Our episode on reasonable management action is here!. Rated by our listeners as their biggest priority, Kate and Greg get the party started with the first of three episodes dedicated to reasonable management action.To kick things off, Greg shares and summarises the legalities of reasonable management action. As usual, Kate’s psychologist brain takes the conversation into a conversation with humanises the topic and connects the dots for listeners when it comes to psychosocial risk management.Have you ever considered the idea of reasonable management action? Have you examined the controls that exist when measuring and managing reasonable management action as a psychosocial risk? Where is the distinction between bullying and harassment, and an unsupportive leader?Grab a drink and settle in to join Kate and Greg as they open the door into this very complex area. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Case law benchbooks, Fair Work commissionElemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    46 mins
  • Leadership wellbeing & psychosocial risk – a CEOs experience and perspective
    May 2 2025
    To finish up the three-episode deep dive into leader wellbeing, we thought it important to provide airtime to an actual leader!Rachel Green is the CEO at SANE. Over the past 15 years, Rachel has held a range of senior executive roles and positions on Boards including the National Mental Health Commission, Black Dog Institute, Department of Health and Aged Care, ICLA, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and SANDS. With such extensive senior executive, as well as subject knowledge expertise, the conversation was deemed “margarita worthy.”Rachel shares her perspectives on her greatest fear for Australian workplaces from possible unintended consequences of the WHS psychosocial regulatory environment, and shares the question she often asks when people seek her view when serious incidents occur with a link to mental illness…”have we considered if the system and services are adequately funded?”This episode’s topics range from visionary reflections on WHS and inclusion systems and policy level levers, all the way through to the personal toll of leadership on leaders. Thank you Rachel for joining us in the bar for this important discussion that doesn’t receive anywhere near enough attention. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – Rachel GreenLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeTo learn more about SANE and / or offer your support to this amazing organisation websiteEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    48 mins
  • Leadership wellbeing – a wicked problem or a quantifiable metric?
    Apr 17 2025
    It’s an exciting moment in the bar, as Kate and Greg welcome their first guest to Judgemental-podcast. Audrey McGibbon is an eminent thought leader in the world of leadership wellbeing, and the perfect person to tackle the complexity of the wicked problem of leader wellbeing.Can leadership wellbeing be measured? If it can be, why measure it? And what does leadership wellbeing have to do with psychosocial risk management?All these questions and more are explored as Greg, Kate and Audrey navigate the conversation in typical “Judgemental-podcast”….no silver bullets, honest reflections and different perspectives to challenge thinking, and increase safety and psychological literacy.This episode addresses the many complexities of how leaders and leadership intersect with psychosocial risk, and presents meaningful (so therefore not simplistic) ideas on how to respond. Grab your liquid of choice, and enjoy the company of Kate and Greg in the second episode of the deep dive conversations focussed on leadership wellbeing. Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – Audrey McGibbonLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeGLWS websiteEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    52 mins
  • Leadership wellbeing – a neglected risk and untapped opportunity
    Apr 7 2025
    Kate and Greg are back in the bar, with the first ‘deep dive” conversation for season two: leadership wellbeing. Leader wellbeing is a long-standing area of professional interest for Kate, resulting in a conversation brimming with passion and fuel for thought!Kate shares detail on three reports to support the argument that leadership wellbeing is an area of psychosocial risk that is neglected by many organisations – ultimately undermining the effectiveness of not only an organisations’ risk management strategy, but any organisational change or transformation priorities. Kate asks the question – if leaders are such a critical dependency in effective psychosocial risk and change management, why don’t organisations design “safe systems of leadership” that support leaders to be who and how we need them to be?Grab a drink and settle in to join Kate and Greg as they connect “safety” and “psychological” literacy – all whilst having some fun along the way! Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Articles:National Mental Health Commission (2023). Promoting and protecting mental health for executive and decision-makers, National Workplace Initiative, National Mental Health Commission, Sydney Australia. Download hereKate Connors (2024). R Our Leaders OK? R Our Leadership Systems OK? A preliminary investigation in recognition of R U OK? And World Mental Health Days, 2024. Report can be downloaded via Elemental Coaching & Psychology website hereGallup (2024). State of the Global Workplace. Report can be downloaded here Resources:Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazonYoutubeBe sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    45 mins
  • Welcome back to the bar
    Mar 20 2025
    In the first episode of Season Two, Kate and Greg reflect on listener (and family) feedback from the first season and share not only their favourite conversation moments, but also expand on topical discussion points from episodes. The conversation heats up as they discuss statements which have been made in the psychosocial risk sector which misrepresent legal decisions.Kate and Greg share the plan for Season Two and encourage listeners to provide feedback on each episode, and ask for preferences for “deep dive episodes” into psychosocial risk areas. There is so much to cover in this season and episodes will be recorded based on listener feedback – what topics do you want to hear about first?Grab a drink, join Kate and Greg in conversation as they set the scene for Season Two. - Season One recap – lessons learnt and major talking points- The agenda for Season Two – so much to cover, where should Kate and Greg focus conversations?- Insights into Episode Two Connect with us:LinkedIn – Kate ConnorsLinkedIn – Greg SmithLinkedIn – EMLLinkedIn – Mutual Benefits Program Resources:Elemental Psychology & Coaching websiteGreg Smith – Safety Books Proving Safety and Paper SafeEML websiteEML Psychosocial resources – Mutual Benefitshttps://www.eml.com.au/news-community/latest-news/reduce-psychosocial-risks-in-workplaces/ Follow Judgemental: A psychologist and a lawyer walk into a barSpotifyAppleAmazon Be sure to subscribe, leave us a review or send us a message. This podcast series is proudly sponsored by EML. As Australia’s largest personal injury claims provider, EML provide services to the workers compensation, life insurance and CTP personal injury markets. For over 110-years, the EML Group has proudly helped people get their lives back after a workplace injury or illness.The Mutual Benefits program reinvests a portion of EML profits into innovative products, tools, initiatives and services that are designed to improve outcomes for employers, injured workers, and the communities we support.​Click here for the free resources available within the Mutual Benefit program to support psychosocial risk management in the workplace.
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    38 mins