Managing unreasonable conduct by a complainant

Learn how to identify and manage unreasonable conduct and deliver effective prevention and resolution policies and strategies.

Who should attend
Supervisors and managers responsible for setting a complaint handling policy and strategy.

We recommend frontline staff or people that have not done any training in handling complaints do Fundamentals of complaint handling before this workshop.

Duration

• Pre-workshop online learning (1 hour)
• Facilitator-led workshop (4 hours)
• Post-workshop online learning (1 hour)
• Optional online learning for policy writers and managers (2 hours)

Overview
Unreasonable conduct by a complainant (UCC) can take up a lot of time and resources in your workplace. This workshop will help you:

• identify and manage unreasonable conduct
• deliver effective prevention and resolution policies and strategies
• support staff members and colleagues impacted by complainant behaviour.
• The curriculum is based on strategies developed as part of a joint project by the 9 Australasian Parliamentary Ombudsman offices.

The training covers:

• your examples of UCC
• managing expectations
• strategies for managing UCC
• key messages for complainants, clients and staff
• ways to support staff to put UCC strategies in place
• staff health and safety considerations.
• Participants get access to the NSW Ombudsman Learnbook online learning platform. This includes a detailed manual and other resources.

Structure
This training comes in several parts:

Pre-workshop module
This self-directed online module covers:

• what unreasonable conduct is, who can experience it, when and where
• key strategies to effectively respond to and manage unreasonable conduct
• self-reflection on you and your organisation's experience of unreasonable behaviour.
• It includes an online discussion forum with the facilitator and other participants.

Facilitator-led workshop
Using case studies and examples related to your professional experience, we cover:

• the importance of effective communication in preventing and managing UCC
• managing expectation of clients
• strategies and scripts for responding to and managing UCC – applying strategies to respond to and manage UCC using agency case studies
• dealing with anger and responding to threats, hostility and aggression
• using escalating assertion
• awareness of management roles and responsibilities concerning:
• support and supervision of staff
• authorising modified or restricted access for people who continue to conduct themselves unreasonably.

Post-workshop module
This self-directed online module covers:

• identifying management roles and responsibilities in creating a safe and supportive workplace culture
• applying strategies for recording, reporting and monitoring incidents of unreasonable conduct
• recognising signs of stress
• what conduct qualifies for modification or restriction of services to an agency.

Optional module
This self-directed online module is to help policy writers and managers:

• identify when online conduct becomes unreasonable
• understand the importance of apologising when an agency makes a mistake
• know how to make an effective apology
• apply Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategies to raise awareness of alternative dispute outcomes.

Learning outcomes
As a learner in this training, you will:

• define the characteristics and impacts of unreasonable conduct
• consider why some complainants behave unreasonably
• identify the warning signs, escalations and safeguards of unreasonable conduct
• identify and apply key strategies, principles and policies to manage the conduct
• reflect on your personal and organisational experiences of unreasonable conduct
• apply policies and strategies in your workplace.

Fee

$550 +GST per person (standard)

Are you booking training for your team?

If you want to book training for more than 5 members of your team, please contact us to discuss your options: training@ombo.nsw.gov.au or call (02) 9286 0900.

We generally limit a workshop to 5 participants from any one organisation (except when the workshop is done in-house). This ensures a better experience for all learners. 

Community Service Provider and hardship discounts

We offer discounts for community service staff and those agencies with obligations under the CS-CRAMA. If you would like to request a discount, including a discount due to financial hardship, please contact us at training@ombo.nsw.gov.au.

Dual workshop discount 

We are offering a 20% discount for those who enrol in both the FCH and MUCC courses being run on the 13th of November 2024 in Tamworth.

Please contact training@ombo.nsw.gov.au to express your interest in enrolling in both courses and our team will provide you with an appropriate discount code to facilitate this.

Note

• First name, last name and email address above is for primary contacts or individual registrations.

• The next page will allow you to select either 'I am the primary contact but not attending the event' or 'I am the primary contact and attending the event'.