Business in Focus | Performance conversations in a changing workplace
Workplace expectations are evolving — and so is the legislative environment that shapes how performance and conduct issues are managed.
Event description
Recent changes under the NSW Workers Compensation Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 are reshaping the framework for psychological injury claims, reasonable management action and employer liability. Understanding these reforms is critical for business leaders, HR professionals and employees alike.
This Business in Focus session brings together both the legal context and the practical application.
Event sponsor, EML, will open the morning with a clear and accessible overview of the key reforms, including:
- The new framework for psychological injury claims
- Relevant conduct claims and liability processes
- Strengthened reasonable management action provisions
- Changes to entitlements, medical treatment thresholds and employer cost implications
From there, the focus shifts from legislation to leadership.
Building on this context, our keynote session will provide practical tools to help leaders and managers conduct performance conversations with confidence, clarity and care — particularly where discussions may involve sensitive issues such as psychosocial risks, mental health concerns or personal circumstances.
What you will gain
- Practical conversation frameworks and feedback techniques you can apply immediately
- Guidance on responding appropriately when employees raise mental health or psychosocial concerns
- Strategies to balance accountability with empathy
- Greater confidence navigating performance discussions in a more complex regulatory environment
For employers and leaders, this session strengthens your ability to manage risk while maintaining a respectful and productive workplace culture.
For employees, it provides insight into what fair, reasonable and well-managed performance processes should look like, and how open, constructive conversations can support both individual wellbeing and organisational success.
In a climate where workplace conversations carry greater legal weight, how they are handled matters. This session ensures you leave informed, prepared and equipped to manage them well.
