Session 23. Oral Presentation for: Stand up, speak out: addressing psychosocial hazards through interactive learning
Kristen Lukas A *A
Kristen Lukas is the Employee Relations Lead for Chevron Australia. She has held various positions with Chevron since her commencement in 2008, spanning the Employee and Industrial Relations, Total Remuneration and HR Business Partner functions. Kristen also has experience in power, health and disability services, including with government and not-for-profit organisations. Kristen is passionate about people and finding innovative solutions that support both the working lives of employees and business objectives. She has taken a significant role in advancing Chevron’s focus on safe, respectful and inclusive behaviours, building a workplace that is free from inappropriate behaviours including bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination. Kristen graduated from the University of Western Australia with Bachelor’s degrees in Commerce (Human Resources, Industrial Relations and Management Accounting) and Arts (Psychology and Japanese). In 2014, she was awarded the Young Professional of the Year Award by the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA). |
Abstract
Presented on 28 May 2025: Session 23
Chevron Australia is committed to fostering a workplace that is safe, respectful and inclusive. This includes managing risks to psychological health and safety and addressing psychosocial hazards, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination. In 2021, Chevron launched the Be an Upstander program. This immersive learning program, developed in partnership with The Experience Lab, equips employees with the skills to identify and respond to inappropriate behaviours. It emphasises the importance of honest conversations about bullying, harassment and discrimination, and teaches participants about the role they play in addressing these issues. To complement this program, Stand Up to Bullying was implemented in 2024, further enhancing the workforce’s ability to recognise bullying and intervene appropriately. Both programs use real-life scenarios to build understanding and reinforce the collective role in ensuring psychosocial and psychological safety. Facilitated by The Experience Lab, the interactive nature of the training is highly engaging, allowing participants to share experiences and perspectives. The success of these programs is evidenced by a noticeable shift in reporting culture and reinforced by positive feedback from participants. Inappropriate behaviours are being identified and reported earlier, leading to shortened exposure time and a reduction in repeated incidents. The expansion of these programs to some of Chevron’s international locations further demonstrates their effectiveness and global applicability. Both programs were recognised at the 2024 Australian Energy Producers Excellence Awards, winning the Safety Project Excellence Award and the Chair’s Award. This paper provides further insight into the development, implementation and outcomes of the Be an Upstander and Stand Up to Bullying programs.
To access the Oral Presentation click the link on the right. To read the full paper click here
Keywords: actors, bullying, bystander, culture, experiential learning, harassment, immersive, inappropriate behaviours, incident reporting, interactive learning, psychosocial hazard, psychosocial risk, training.
Kristen Lukas is the Employee Relations Lead for Chevron Australia. She has held various positions with Chevron since her commencement in 2008, spanning the Employee and Industrial Relations, Total Remuneration and HR Business Partner functions. Kristen also has experience in power, health and disability services, including with government and not-for-profit organisations. Kristen is passionate about people and finding innovative solutions that support both the working lives of employees and business objectives. She has taken a significant role in advancing Chevron’s focus on safe, respectful and inclusive behaviours, building a workplace that is free from inappropriate behaviours including bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination. Kristen graduated from the University of Western Australia with Bachelor’s degrees in Commerce (Human Resources, Industrial Relations and Management Accounting) and Arts (Psychology and Japanese). In 2014, she was awarded the Young Professional of the Year Award by the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA). |
