Employee Wellbeing and Support Policy

1. Policy statement

Labour-hire work can be isolating: our people work inside someone else's organisation, often on short contracts, away from colleagues who share their employer. Axiom Data takes its duty to protect psychological health as seriously as physical safety, and makes sure every worker knows that support is available, confidential, and free to them.

2. Scope and application

This policy applies to Ontology Analytics Pty Ltd, trading as Axiom Data (Axiom Data) and to every director, employee, labour-hire worker, contractor and agent engaged by Axiom Data, whether working at Axiom Data's premises, remotely, or on placement at a client site. Where a worker is placed with a client, this policy applies alongside the client's own policies; where the two differ, the worker follows the stricter requirement and raises the difference with Axiom Data.

3. Employee assistance and counselling

Axiom Data provides every employee and placed worker, and their immediate family members, with access to confidential, professional counselling at no cost to the worker, through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider engaged by Axiom Data. The service is independent of Axiom Data; Axiom Data receives no information about who uses it or why. Workers may use it for any personal or work-related concern, including stress, anxiety, grief, relationships, finances, conflict at work or exposure to distressing material.

Where a client agency makes its own EAP available to contractors, workers may use either service.

4. Regular contact and check-ins

• The Director contacts every placed worker within their first week, at the end of the first month, and at least monthly thereafter, and whenever the worker asks.
• Check-ins cover workload and hours, the working relationship with the client, any hazards or concerns, and anything the worker needs from Axiom Data.
• Workers may contact the Director at any time. Concerns about a client are handled with the worker's agreement about what is raised and how.

5. Hours, workload and flexibility

• Hours are kept within the contracted and client-approved limits; sustained long hours are treated as a hazard and addressed with the client.
• Eligible employees may request flexible working arrangements under the Fair Work Act, and Axiom Data will discuss and respond in writing within 21 days, refusing only on reasonable business grounds after genuinely trying to reach agreement.
• Workers who are carers, who have a disability, or who are experiencing family and domestic violence are supported with the leave and adjustments the law provides and any further reasonable adjustment we can make.

6. Mental health first response

If a worker tells Axiom Data they are struggling, or a client raises a concern, the Director will listen, keep the conversation confidential, encourage the worker to use the EAP or their doctor, adjust work where that would help, and follow up. No one will be disadvantaged for seeking help.

7. Respect and inclusion

Respectful conduct standards under the Code of Conduct (POL-01) apply at every client site. Bullying, harassment and discrimination are psychosocial hazards and are managed under the WHS system (POL-04) and the Incident Procedure (POL-05).

8. Review

This policy is owned by the Director and is reviewed at least annually, and sooner if legislation, a client requirement or an incident shows the need. The current version, effective date and next review date are recorded in the policy register on the Employee Resources page.