University of Sydney
EN-8: Employee Orientation

The new employee orientation is a face to face and online 1/2 day workshop which includes a section on the university values (www.sydney.edu.au/sustainability).
* Sustainability is included in those values including a presentation on the Sustainability Strategy, what part staff are expected to play in actioning the strategy and how they can get involved, both in their role and at a more grassroots, personal level. Attendees are also given a keep-cup and reusable water bottle to encourage environmentally sustainable practices.
* The orientation also includes information and training in other areas of our values, particularly the understanding and action of our various diversity and equity programs and how they can become an ally or take on further training.
* A briefing on the various aspects of wellbeing, safety and health such as the Psychological Health and Wellbeing Framework and services available through Benestar. (See PA14 for further details).
* New staff were also directed to a curriculum of recommended training, which included 2 x Cultural Competence modules, Achieving an Equitable Workplace module, Work Health and Safety Induction and other ethics-related modules including responding with compassion (sexual assault related for student-facing staff). The cultural competence modules continue to be recommended. Respect in Our Community has replaced Achieving an Equitable Workplace and is assigned to new starters with completion now mandatory, as is the WHS Induction module and also an Anti-Slavery Awareness module.

The Sustainability Strategy team is also present at the light lunch to mingle and introduce ourselves to new employees and talk with them about what we do and how they can be involved.

Our online version of the employee orientation module is conducted through our internal training system. Due to COVID restrictions, this is currently this is being conducted fully online.