Family violence doesn’t stay at the door—it follows your employees to work. Investing in a Staying Safe and Sane workshop protects your business from the legal and financial risks of family harm while fulfilling your moral “Duty of Care.” Led by a specialist with 20 years of experience inside the Women’s Refuge, NZ Police Family Harm Team and Oranga Tamariki, these workshops provide the “insider” knowledge your leadership needs to manage high-stakes disclosures with precision and empathy.
1. The Business Case: The Reality of the NZ Workplace
In Aotearoa, the workplace is often the only location where an abuser cannot reach a victim. This makes your office a critical “Safe Haven.”
- The Financial Toll: Family violence costs New Zealand employers over $368 million annually through lost productivity, high staff turnover, and absenteeism.
- The Legal Mandate: Under the Victims’ Protection Act 2018, businesses are legally required to provide paid leave and flexible working. We ensure your managers don’t just “know” the law—they know how to apply it without compromising safety or confidentiality.
- Risk Mitigation: A trained team prevents the “chaos” of a crisis from destabilizing your entire office culture.
2. What Your Leadership Gains
We provide the tactical tools I’ve used at the Police SAM (Safety Action Meeting) table, adapted for the corporate environment:
- First-Responder Readiness: The ability to handle a sudden disclosure with calm, professional confidence and zero panic.
- The Tactical Toolkit: Digital templates for workplace safety plans, risk assessment checklists, and “safe communication” protocols.
- Policy Integration: Clear guidance on weaving the Victims’ Protection Act into your existing HR and Health & Safety frameworks.
- Boundaries Mastery: Training on how to support an employee effectively without overstepping into the role of a counselor or a police officer.
3. The “50/50” Social Enterprise Edge
When you secure your team, you secure the community. We operate on a social enterprise model. 50% of your workshop fee is reinvested to provide free, specialist advocacy and safety resources for low-income New Zealanders in crisis. Your investment in workplace safety directly funds the frontline services that help whānau break the cycle of abuse.
4. Safety & Trauma-Informed Delivery
We handle the “hard stuff” so you don’t have to. Our sessions are designed to be supportive, not triggering:
- Expert Facilitation: Our facilitators are seasoned experts in trauma-informed care.
- Strict Confidentiality: We operate under “Chatham House Rules,” allowing managers to discuss real-world challenges anonymously to find practical solutions.
- Wellbeing Protocols: We prioritize the mental health of all participants, with built-in breaks and immediate access to support resources throughout the session.
Strategic “Call to Action”:
“Don’t wait for a crisis to realize you’re unprepared. Let’s build a resilient, informed, and safe workplace today.”
Staying Safe and Sane 