Our Services

Sage Workplace Advisory provides independent support for sensitive workplace matters, workplace relationships, leadership capability and governance.

Independent investigations into matters that require confidence.

Sage Workplace Advisory provides independent workplace investigation services for organisations across corporate, government, education and not-for-profit environments. We are engaged where an organisation needs a structured, impartial process to establish facts, assess evidence and reach clear findings against agreed Terms of Reference.

How we can help

Misconduct & suspected corrupt conduct
Disciplinary matters
Professional standards
Code of conduct & standards
Policy & procedure breaches
Bullying, harassment, discrimination & sexual harassment
Ethics & conflicts of interest
Work health and safety (WHS) investigations

What you can expect

Our approach is designed to give executives, boards, people leaders and legal advisers a reliable evidentiary record and a report that clearly distinguishes allegation, evidence, analysis and findings. Findings link clearly to the evidence, allowing the organisation to understand how the outcome was reached.

Education sector

Sage has particular interest in investigations within education settings, including schools, childcare, universities and other education providers. These matters can involve heightened sensitivity, multiple stakeholders and additional reporting or safeguarding considerations.

Local government sector

Sage understands the governance, transparency and community accountability obligations that apply to local government, and the standard of process expected when a matter involves council staff or officials.

State government sector

Sage is experienced working within the governance and accountability frameworks that apply to state government departments and agencies, including matters that intersect with public sector codes of conduct and integrity obligations.

Investigations

Mediations and Conflict Resolution

ER/IR Advisory

Leadership & Training

Corporate Governance and Compliance

Independent mediation for conflict that needs resolving, not escalating.

Sage Workplace Advisory provides independent mediation and conflict resolution services where workplace relationships have broken down, communication has stalled, or a dispute risks escalating into a formal grievance or investigation.

How we can help

Interpersonal & team conflict: A breakdown in working relationships affecting communication, trust or performance.
Manager-employee conflict: Resetting relationships between a leader and direct report before it becomes a formal grievance.
Post-investigation relationship repair: Facilitated conversations once an investigation or complaint has concluded.
Restructure & change-related tension: Conflict arising from organisational change or team restructures.
Return-to-work conflict: Supporting a return following a grievance, investigation or extended absence.
Early intervention & de-escalation: Structured conversations at the first sign of conflict.

What you can expect

Mediations are conducted by an accredited mediator using a facilitative process in accordance with AMDRAS standards. You can expect neutrality, confidentiality, a voluntary process, and practical outcomes written in plain language. Each mediation includes intake, individual sessions, joint sessions, agreed outcomes, and follow-up check-ins.

Mediations and Conflict Resolution

Practical employee and industrial relations advice, when you need it.

Sage Workplace Advisory provides employee relations (ER) and industrial relations (IR) support to organisations across corporate, government, education and not-for-profit environments. We are engaged where an organisation needs clear, defensible advice on a specific employee matter, or ongoing support building the capability of its people leaders. Our advice balances legal risk, people impact and commercial outcomes, giving line managers and HR teams practical guidance they can act on with confidence.

How we can help

Award & agreement interpretation: Practical advice on applying awards, enterprise agreements and employment contracts to real workplace situations.
Disciplinary process: Guidance on show-cause, warning and termination processes, with a focus on procedural fairness.
Performance management: Support designing and running performance improvement processes that stand up to scrutiny.
Terminations & adverse action risk: Advice on managing dismissals, redundancies and role changes managed to reduce adverse action and unfair dismissal risk.
Grievance & complaint handling: Guidance on triaging, scoping and progressing employee grievances and complaints.
Enterprise bargaining & IR strategy: Support with bargaining preparation, dispute resolution and broader industrial relations strategy.

What you can expect

Support at the level you need: from a single piece of advice through to end-to-end case management. Our approach ensures that all guidance is linked back to relevant employment instruments and compliance frameworks while remaining practically actionable for operational teams.

ER/IR Advisory

Building the leadership capability that prevents problems before they start.

Sage Workplace Advisory designs and delivers leadership development and workplace relations training for organisations across corporate, government, education and not-for-profit environments. We are engaged where an organisation wants its leaders equipped to manage people well, so fewer issues escalate into a grievance, investigation or dispute.

How we can help

Courageous conversations: Practical skills for raising performance, conduct and behavioural concerns early and constructively.
Respectful workplace behaviour: Training on conduct expectations, bystander responsibility and Respect@Work-style obligations.
Investigation & grievance-handling skills: Capability building for internal HR and people leaders who triage or conduct workplace investigations.
Performance & conduct management: Skills for setting expectations, giving feedback and managing underperformance fairly and effectively.
Manager foundations: Core people-leadership capability for new and emerging managers, including procedural fairness and natural justice.
Leadership & organisational development: Tailored programs built around an organisation's specific goals.

What you can expect

Our programs are practical rather than theoretical: built around real conversations and decisions leaders face. We focus on four key stages: understanding your context, designing for the room, facilitating for application, and providing tools for reinforcement and follow-up.

Leadership & Training

Strategic support for Queensland regional councils to meet statutory planning and risk management obligations.

We support the Chief Executive Officers of Queensland regional councils to develop, review and maintain the corporate governance and compliance framework required under the Local Government Act 2009 (Qld) and the Local Government Regulation 2012 (Qld). We are engaged where a council needs a structured plan for meeting its statutory planning, financial and risk management obligations, or wants an independent review of its current governance framework.

How we can help

Statutory planning and financial framework reviews
Risk management and compliance strategy development
Independent governance framework audits
Legislative alignment and reporting support

What you can expect

Our approach is designed to give the CEO, the executive leadership team and elected councillors a clear, defensible governance framework: properly documented, aligned to the current legislation, and ready to withstand scrutiny from council, the community and the Department.