August 18, 2020

The Honourable Justice Michael Walton on the future of workplaces

Free online masterclass to explore workplace management strategies and the implications COVID-19 will have on work in today’s society

The Honourable Justice Michael Walton will give the keynote address at an upcoming MBA Masterclass for the Sydney Business School at the University of Wollongong (UOW).

The free Masterclass is on Wednesday 19 August and will explore what the implications are for workplaces if COVID-19 management strategies become the new reality.

Justice Walton was the President of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and currently sits on the Supreme Court of NSW.

Associate Professor Martin O’Brien, MBA Director of UOW’s Sydney Business School, says Justice Walton’s keynote comes at a pertinent time, as many workplaces adapt to changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There’s every chance that some of the current COVID-19 workplace management strategies will become the new norm, so it’s important to look at the implications this might have for work in our society,” he said. 

“For example, what are the health and safety implications if our home becomes the defined workplace, or the practical ramifications of supervising employees remotely, are pyjamas an acceptable work uniform, or more generally, how ‘flexible’ can our workplace arrangements become?”

Professor O’Brien says Justice Walton’s keynote, ‘2020: A Work Odyssey’, will not only benefit MBA students, but will appeal to business managers and people with an interest in employment law, the future of work and the workplace more generally.

“Justice Walton possesses an exceptional legal mind that will dissect a hot contemporary issue affecting many workers now and into the future. I expect that this MBA Masterclass will exceed all expectations and generate a lot of interest across a wide cross-section of society.”

The Masterclass will take place online via Zoom from 6 to 8pm on Wednesday 19 August.