SACE Stage 2 Workplace Practices key terms

The study of how people behave, relate and are managed within organisations, including rights, responsibilities, safety, communication and career planning. It links classroom learning to real and simulated workplace experiences.

Learning that happens through direct involvement in a real or simulated workplace, where tasks and reflection build skills, knowledge and understanding that cannot be gained from textbooks alone.

Transferable capabilities such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, initiative and digital literacy that help a person succeed across many jobs and industries, not just one occupation.

The combination of skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes that makes a person attractive to employers and able to gain and keep work.

A short written summary of a person's education, work history, skills and achievements, used when applying for a job to show an employer why the applicant suits the role.

A brief letter sent with a résumé that introduces the applicant, explains their interest in a specific job and highlights how their skills match the employer's needs.

The stated skills, experience, qualifications and personal qualities an employer requires or desires in a candidate, often addressed point by point in a written application.

A structured conversation in which an employer asks a candidate questions to assess their suitability for a role, and the candidate also learns more about the position.

The accepted standards of polite, respectful behaviour expected at work, such as punctuality, appropriate dress, courteous language and respecting colleagues' time and space.

The shared values, beliefs, attitudes and unwritten rules that shape how people behave and interact within a particular organisation or team.

A formal document setting out the behaviour an organisation expects of its workers, including what is acceptable and what is prohibited, often with consequences for breaches.

A policy is a stated principle or rule guiding decisions, while a procedure is the step-by-step method for carrying it out. Together they standardise how an organisation operates.

The laws, duties and practices aimed at protecting the physical and psychological health of everyone in a workplace, by identifying and controlling hazards and risks.

The legal and moral obligation of employers and workers to take reasonable steps to avoid causing harm to others, and to act on foreseeable risks in the workplace.

Any potential source of harm or danger in a workplace, such as a slippery floor, faulty equipment, hazardous chemicals or a stressful work practice.

The process of identifying hazards, judging how likely and how serious any harm could be, and deciding what controls are needed to reduce the risk.

A ranked set of risk-management measures, from most to least effective: eliminate the hazard, substitute it, isolate it, use engineering controls, then administrative controls, with protective equipment last.

A written record completed after an accident, injury or near miss, describing what happened, who was involved and what was done, so the organisation can investigate and prevent recurrence.

The principle that all people should have fair access to jobs, promotion and training, and should be judged on merit rather than irrelevant personal characteristics.

Treating a person less favourably because of a personal characteristic such as age, sex, race, disability or religion, which is unlawful in most Australian workplaces.

Repeated, unwelcome behaviour that offends, intimidates or humiliates a person, creating a hostile or uncomfortable environment, and which employers are obliged to address.

Repeated unreasonable behaviour directed at a worker that creates a risk to health and safety, such as intimidation, exclusion or spreading rumours; it differs from a single reasonable management action.

The range of differences among people at work, including age, gender, culture, background, ability and thinking style, which can strengthen problem solving when managed well.

Creating an environment where all workers feel valued, respected, safe and able to contribute fully, regardless of their differences or background.

Deliberate measures an organisation takes to remove barriers and improve opportunities for groups that have historically been disadvantaged in employment.

A formal, step-by-step process for raising and resolving a workplace complaint, usually starting with a supervisor and escalating to senior management or an external body.

The duty to keep sensitive information private and share it only with those who genuinely need it, respecting clients, colleagues and the organisation.

A person's right to control how their personal information is collected, used, stored and disclosed, protected in Australia by privacy legislation and workplace policies.

The main Australian law governing employment, setting out minimum wages, the national employment standards, unfair dismissal rules and the role of the Fair Work Commission.

Eleven minimum entitlements every Australian employee is guaranteed, covering matters such as maximum weekly hours, leave, notice of termination and flexible working requests.

A legally enforceable document setting minimum pay rates and conditions for employees in a particular industry or occupation, used as a safety net under Australian workplace law.

A negotiated agreement between an employer and its employees, approved by the Fair Work Commission, that sets wages and conditions for that workplace.

An organisation of workers who join together to negotiate collectively with employers over pay, conditions and workplace issues, and to represent members in disputes.

The process where a group of employees, usually through a union, negotiates with an employer about wages and working conditions on behalf of all members.

Steps taken by workers or employers in a dispute, such as strikes, work bans or lockouts, intended to pressure the other side during negotiations.

The legal agreement between employer and employee that sets out the job, pay, hours and conditions, and creates enforceable rights and obligations for both parties.

A form of employment where the worker has no guaranteed ongoing hours, is usually paid a loading instead of leave, and can generally accept or decline shifts.

Paid or unpaid time off that an employee is entitled to under law or agreement, including annual leave, personal leave, parental leave and public holidays.

A formal review in which a manager and employee discuss the employee's work, achievements and areas for improvement, often setting goals for the next period.

Information given to a person about how their work or behaviour is perceived, ideally specific, timely and constructive, so they can maintain strengths and improve weaknesses.

Deliberately thinking back on an experience, analysing what worked and what did not, and using those insights to improve future performance.

Ongoing learning activities, such as training, courses, mentoring or conferences, that build a worker's skills and knowledge and support career progress.

A supportive relationship in which a more experienced person guides and advises a less experienced colleague, sharing knowledge and helping them develop confidence and skills.

The sequence of jobs, roles and learning steps a person may follow over time, shaped by their interests, skills, qualifications and changing opportunities.