The economic cost of domestic & family violence to the Australian economy is currently estimated be be in excess of $10 billion.

Common costs and impacts include decreased staff performance and productivity, increased staff turnover and absenteeism as well as negative impact on the organisation’s reputation and image.

Actions a workplace can take to ensure that they are providing adequate support for victims and survivors of domestic & family violence include:

• The role of leaders
• Establish clear policies and procedures
• Make provision for leave or flexible work arrangements
• Establish clear roles and responsibilities and build capacity
• Implement an awareness-raising and education programs
• Conduct safety planning with affected employees
• Provide referrals and external support
• Ensure adequate support is provided for affected employees

There is much research indicating that supporting victims of domestic & family violence within the workplace can bring about significant positive differences, not only to the lives of effected individuals and their families, but also to the culture of the workplace.