After a short stint as a lawyer Lydia's career moved into the areas of Workers Compensation (Conciliation and Arbitration Officer-SA Workers Compensation Tribunal) and Work Health and Safety (Industry Consultant, and, Chief Adviser WHS Skills SafeWork SA). Lydia's consultation work has involved giving advice, training and representation to clients in all manner of employment/IR/HR areas. She has had a long association with the University of South Australia having combined part-time teaching with her work as a consultant in industry. She is currently a full-time teaching academic.
With a keen interest in the South Pacific and improving working lives Lydia has supported OSH in Samoa by developing the Samoan OSH legal standards (Adam... Read more
About me
After a short stint as a lawyer Lydia's career moved into the areas of Workers Compensation (Conciliation and Arbitration Officer-SA Workers Compensation Tribunal) and Work Health and Safety (Industry Consultant, and, Chief Adviser WHS Skills SafeWork SA). Lydia's consultation work has involved giving advice, training and representation to clients in all manner of employment/IR/HR areas. She has had a long association with the University of South Australia having combined part-time teaching with her work as a consultant in industry. She is currently a full-time teaching academic.
With a keen interest in the South Pacific and improving working lives Lydia has supported OSH in Samoa by developing the Samoan OSH legal standards (Adam Smith International). She has volunteered with Australian Volunteers International as a Human Resources Mentor for a Fijian human rights charity. Lydia is the current President of Work Health and Safety Without Borders (Aus). She is currently working towards a project to further support the Samoan Government with safety on Samoan construction sites.
Lydia's research has focused on human resource management and the drivers and barriers for continuous improvement within an educational organisation. Currently, she is researching rewards and recognition practices with a focus on the public sector.
Lydia is committed to collaborative teaching and learning, particularly in the online environment.
About me
The Society for Human Resource Management (US)
Australian Human Resources Institute (MARHI)
Australian Institute for Training and Development
Australian Labour and Employment Relations Assn (SA)
Work Health Without Borders (Australian Branch) Board Member
About me
Master of Education University of South Australia
Graduate Diploma Legal Practice University of South Australia
Graduate Diploma Bus (Admin Management) University of South Australia
Graduate Diploma Occupational Health & Safety The University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma in Education Studies (Digial Learning) University of South Australia
Bachelor of Law The University of Adelaide
Graduate Diploma in Conflict Management University of South Australia
Online Course Facilitator 2017 - current (Adam Smith International, International Consultant Samoa (2020-21)
Snr Consultant, Workforce Relations TAFE SA 2017
Teaching Academic, School of Management, University of South Australia 2003-2016
Snr Consultant, Gallagher Bassett, South Australia 2013-2015
Chief Adviser WHS Skills, SafeWork SA, South Australia 2011-2012
WHS Consultant, IMA Consultanting, South Australia 2003
Conciliator and Arbitrator, Workers Compensation Tribunal, South Australia 1997-2003
Advocate, Technical Adviser, Legal Officer WorkCover Corporation and agents 1992-1997
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Recognising and rewarding staff of Local Government Associations: A step toward greater wellbeing and retention in the workforce, Local Government Association of South Australia, 01/11/2023 - 31/07/2025
Industry Funding for PG-112618 (Reward and Recognition of LGAs), City of Port Adelaide-Enfield, 01/11/2023 - 31/07/2025
Research
Dissanayake, D & Richards, L 2019, Facilitating Team-Based Learning in Fully Online Courses, HERGA Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 25th September 2019
Andrew, L & Richards, L 2019, Development and Validation of a Quiz to assess Academic Writing skills for large cohorts of Online Students, HERGA Conference, Adelaide, Australia, 25th September 2019.
Chapter Contribution, Teaching Human Resource Management An experiential approach, 2018 eds de Janasz & Crossman
Retaining my strong commitment to WHS in Australia, and beyond, I enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to the Samoan Governance Support Program (2020/21) via Adam Smith International. In consultation with the Samoan Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour I worked with OHS inspectors and consulted with key industry groups to develop priority WHS standards and a training program for the WHS inspectorate in Samoa. I also reviewed and advised on legislative changes required to enable inspectorate activities.
Committed to workplace health and safety I have recently joined the Board of the Australian Branch of Work Health Without Borders. Our vision 'A world where workers do not get sick because of their work'.
Currently enjoying HR mentoring for Australian Volunteers International in Fiji.
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2024 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders (Aus) |
2024 |
Invited lecturerThanglong University (Vietnam) Collaborative Online International Learning COIL Program |
2023 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2023 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders AU |
2023 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders (Aus) |
2023 |
Board MemberWork Health Without Borders AU |
2022 |
MemberSociety of Human Resource Managers |
2022 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2022 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2022 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders (Aus) |
2022 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders AU |
2022 |
Board MemberWork Health Without Borders AU |
2021 |
International Adviser, Adam Smith InternationalSamoan Governance Support Project, WHS Standards |
2021 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2021 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2021 |
MemberAustralian Labour and Employment Relations Association |
2021 |
MemberAustralian Institute of Training and Development |
2021 |
PresidentWork Health Without Borders (Aus) |
2021 |
International Adviser, Adam Smith InternationalSamoan Governance Support Project, WHS Standards |
2020 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2020 |
MemberAustralian Labour and Employment Relations Association |
2020 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2020 |
MemberAustralian Institute of Training and Development |
2020 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Labour and Employment Relations Association |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Institute of Training and Development |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2018 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2018 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2017 |
MemberWorkplace Health Without Borders |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute |
2016 |
MemberAustralian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) |
2016 |
I enjoy my students 'light bulb' moments when they recognise how the application of legal principles and management best practice can aid not just legal compliance but organisational performance.
Teaching & student supervision
