ECEC employers can use AI tech to beat workplace bullying

Employers in a variety of sectors and industries around Australia, including early childhood education and care (ECEC) will soon be able to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to tackle common human resources issues such as bullying, micro-aggression and discrimination, Human Resources Director magazine has said. 

The new technology will not only help human resources staff and other leaders and managers to identify and understand the teams and individuals most at risk of ‘non inclusive and offensive’ behaviours before they escalate and become corrosive, as well as giving guidance about how best to proactively tackle emerging or embedded issues. 

ECEC sector members may be interested in this technology given the prevalence of accusations of bullying in the sector, both here and overseas. 

Shiran Yaroslavesky, founder of Cassiopeia, the firm behind the technology, said that early detection, while crucial, can be the “most difficult part” of eradicating biases and harassment at work.

He said around 85 per cent of offensive behaviours go unreported in the average mid sized organisation, which can have both financial and human costs including employee turnover and potential legal action. 

By intervening early, leaders can put in place more effective solutions such as training and development, working with specialists, instilling feedback processes, increasing transparency and other measures, all of which, Mr Yaroslavesky said can reduce the cost and impact of employee attrition. 

To create the technology Cassiopeia worked with BDO Reward Australia. Allan Feinberg, managing director at BDO Reward Australia emphasised that identifying behaviours early can create a mentally healthy workplace that is positive and productive, and where ‘archaic barometers’ such as whistleblowing policies ‘become redundant’ because problems are proactively addressed before they have snowballed. 

The original coverage of this story may be accessed here. For more information about the platform developed by Cassiopeia and BDO Reward Australia, please see here.