Examining Current Workplace Health and Safety Issues in New Zealand

This essay responds to the quote about New Zealand's poor workplace health and safety record, which led to the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. It discusses three current workplace issues in New Zealand: depression and anxiety, bullying as a personal grievance, and sexual harassment, especially in law firms. The essay highlights the prevalence of these issues, referencing articles and press releases to support the discussion. It emphasizes the importance of addressing these problems to improve the overall work environment and comply with legal protections under the Employments Relations Act of 2000 and the Human Rights Act of 1993. The essay also touches upon management's responsibilities and the benefits of a safe and healthy workplace.

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Health and safety- workplace issues
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Response to the quote
In New Zealand there are individuals who are dying or are seriously hurt while they are working.
Comparison to the other countries the workplace and health and safety records are woeful. This
led to the health and safety at work Act 2015 coming into force in April 2016 (Nicky, 2017).
There are numerous workplace issues that are being experienced in New Zealand in this
discussion it will focus on depression and anxiety, bullying: personal grievance and sexual
Harassment especially in law firms.
Depression and anxiety
According to the article by Nicky (2017) highlights that there are many people who are shows
anxiety and depression in the workplace but they do not want to share the issues affecting them
with others (Nicky, 2017). One of the aspects that lead to depression and anxiety is
bombardment stress. There are many who are stressed not just because of increased workload but
also due to lack of me time along with the complexity in one’s life (Nicky, 2017). Another
aspect is tough business, and the work/life balancing falling.
Bullying: personal grievance
In New Zealand there were many cases of bullying in the workplace. It was historical movement
when Employment Relation Authority to recognize workplace bullying is not good and it is a
huge step to government and Authority to address it (Press Release: CultureSafe, 2018). Culture
Safe NZ director Allan Halse was handling up to 30 cases of bullying was ruled inadmissible by
the authority since their interpretation of the law was hindered by the previous government. The
Authority has also recognized 2015 bullying complaint of client as personal grievances. It is
important for the business leader to recognize bullying is not good especially in workplace

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Sexual Harassment in law firms
The Human resource commission has received more than thirty complaints of the sexual
harassment for the last 6 months from July 2017 (Jessica, 2018). Sexual harassment and violence
has been prevalent in New Zealand and has been due to the family violence. The legal firms are
under fire for the inappropriate behavior between the workers (Jessica, 2018). The workers have
the legal protection from the sexual and the racial harassment in the workplace under the
Employments relations Act of 2000 as well as the Human Rights Act of 1993.

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References
Jessica, L. (2018). Sexual Harassment a festering wound within New Zealand’s workplace.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/101811811/sexual-harassment-a-festering-wound-
within-new-zealands-workplaces
Press Release: CultureSafe. (2018). A first: Bullying to be heard as a personal grievance.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1803/S00527/a-first-bullying-to-be-heard-as-a-
personal-grievance.htm
Nicky, P. (2017). The rise in workplace depression and anxiety is causing job culture to change.
https://www.noted.co.nz/health/health/the-rise-in-workplace-depression-and-anxiety-is-
causing-job-culture-to-change/