Product Overview

Summary: This Behaviour Management Safe Operating Procedure provides a clear, consistent framework for preventing, de‑escalating and responding to challenging behaviours in Australian workplaces. It supports legal WHS obligations, reduces the risk of psychological and physical harm, and helps leaders create a respectful, trauma‑informed and compliant work environment.

Unmanaged or poorly managed behaviour in the workplace can quickly escalate into psychological injury, physical harm, bullying claims, and costly disputes. This Behaviour Management Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, evidence‑based approach to identifying early warning signs, setting clear behavioural expectations, and responding safely and consistently to inappropriate, aggressive or escalating conduct. It is designed for Australian workplaces that interact with clients, students, patients, customers or internal staff where behaviours of concern may arise.

The SOP translates WHS and employment law obligations into practical steps that frontline leaders and workers can actually follow. It covers proactive measures such as behaviour risk assessments, environmental and organisational controls, communication techniques, and clear escalation pathways. It also sets out what to do when situations deteriorate, including de‑escalation strategies, withdrawal procedures, incident reporting, post‑incident review and staff support. By implementing this SOP, organisations can reduce the likelihood of incidents, demonstrate due diligence, and foster a psychologically safe workplace where expectations are understood and consistently applied.

Whether you operate in health, disability, education, retail, community services, call centres or corporate environments, this Behaviour Management SOP helps you standardise responses across teams, reduce reliance on informal “work‑arounds”, and show regulators, insurers and workers that you take behavioural risks seriously. It is written in plain English, ready to adapt to your context, and aligned with contemporary Australian WHS guidance on psychosocial hazards and workplace behaviour.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of psychological and physical injury arising from aggressive, abusive or inappropriate behaviour.
• Ensure consistent, defensible responses to behavioural incidents across teams, shifts and locations.
• Support compliance with Australian WHS duties to manage psychosocial hazards and workplace violence.
• Strengthen workplace culture by clearly defining acceptable behaviour, boundaries and escalation pathways.
• Improve staff confidence and capability through structured guidance on communication and de‑escalation techniques.

Who is this for?

• People and Culture (HR) Managers
• WHS Managers and Advisors
• Team Leaders and Supervisors
• Operations Managers
• Disability and Aged Care Service Managers
• Education and Training Managers
• Practice Leaders (Community and Support Services)
• Injury Management and Return to Work Coordinators
• Safety Representatives and HSRs
• Contact Centre and Customer Service Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Occupational violence and aggression (verbal, physical, threatened)
• Psychosocial hazards such as bullying, harassment and unreasonable behaviour
• Work‑related stress, anxiety and burnout from repeated exposure to challenging behaviours
• Fatigue and reduced decision‑making quality following high‑stress behavioural incidents
• Secondary trauma and vicarious trauma in staff exposed to distressing behaviours
• Slips, trips, falls or other physical injuries occurring during behavioural incidents or restraint/withdrawal
• Reputational and legal risk arising from inconsistent or inappropriate behaviour responses

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions (Challenging Behaviour, Aggression, Bullying, Psychosocial Hazard, etc.)
• 3.0 Legal and Organisational Responsibilities
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Officers, Managers, Workers, HSRs)
• 5.0 Behavioural Expectations and Workplace Conduct Standards
• 6.0 Behaviour Risk Assessment and Identification of Psychosocial Hazards
• 7.0 Preventive Controls (Environment, Systems, Staffing and Training)
• 8.0 Early Intervention and Warning Signs of Escalating Behaviour
• 9.0 Communication and De‑escalation Techniques
• 10.0 Managing Aggressive, Abusive or Violent Behaviour
• 11.0 Withdrawal, Evacuation and Personal Safety Procedures
• 12.0 Incident Reporting, Notification and Recordkeeping
• 13.0 Post‑Incident Response, Support and Debriefing
• 14.0 Managing Repeated or Ongoing Behaviour of Concern (Clients, Visitors, Staff)
• 15.0 Interface with HR Processes (Performance Management, Misconduct and Complaints)
• 16.0 Training, Induction and Competency Requirements
• 17.0 Consultation, Communication and Worker Engagement
• 18.0 Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement
• 19.0 Related Documents, Forms and Behaviour Management Plans
• 20.0 Document Control and Version History

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and mirror WHS Acts in each state and territory
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and state/territory equivalents
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying
• Safe Work Australia – Guide for Preventing and Responding to Work‑Related Violence
• Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) – provisions relating to bullying and workplace behaviour
• Australian Human Rights Commission guidance on harassment and discrimination
• AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use