Addressing psychosocial hazards is not only a legal and ethical obligation for employers but also a strategic imperative. How can organisations effectively monitor and mitigate these hazards to achieve a safer and more supportive workplace for all employees.
A psychosocial hazard is anything that increases the risk of work-related mental health injuries . Psychosocial hazards relate to work design, systems of work, how the work is carried out and social factors and interactions in the working environment.
Commonly cited psychosocial hazards include:
- High job demands, like excessive workloads,
emotionally demanding tasks - Low job control where workers have little autonomy
over how and when they do their work - Poor support from supervisors, co-workers or
inadequate resources and training - Lack of role clarity about job roles and responsibilities
- Poor organisational change management
- Inadequate rewards, recognition and organisational justice
- Remote or isolated work away from support
- Poor workplace relationships, bullying, harassment
(including sexual harassment) and workplace violence - Exposure to traumatic events
Psychosocial hazards can occur in combination with one another and can influence or be influenced by each other. The more psychosocial hazards are present, the higher the risk of harm.
Impact & prevalence of psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces
The prevalence of psychosocial hazards has led to a dramatic increase in work-related psychological injuries. The statistics are alarming: nearly half of Australia’s workforce reported experiencing workplace bullying, harassment, or discrimination in 2023, resulting in a sharp rise in psychological injury claims. The mental health conditions resulting from these hazards have not only personal repercussions but also professional ones, significantly affecting employees’ ability to perform and remain engaged at work.
Cost to Employers and the Economy
The ramifications of psychosocial hazards extend beyond individual suffering to affect organisational productivity and the broader economy. According to Gallup, in Australia the annual cost of rising psychological and psychosocial injury claims is estimated to be as high as $39.9 billion. This includes direct costs such as medical expenses and compensation claims, as well as indirect costs like lost productivity. Mental health injury claims result in significantly longer periods of work absence compared to other types of injury claims, with the median time lost being 34.2 working weeks per serious claim, compared to 8.0 weeks for all injuries and diseases
Rely – helping Employers to monitor and manage risks
To combat the detrimental effects of psychosocial hazards, Employers must take proactive measures to create safer and healthier work environments. Safe Work Australia’s Code of Practice recommends establishing a mechanism that enables workers to report hazards in a privacy protected way, with an option for reporting anonymously where possible.
Using Rely’s intelligent issue management platform can play a crucial role in identifying, recording, and tracking psychosocial hazards, thus enabling organisations to manage risks more effectively:
- Early Identification and Reporting:
Rely allows for the timely reporting of psychosocial hazards. Employees can anonymously report incidents of bullying, harassment, or unrealistic job demands, which can then be promptly addressed by the organisation. - Data-Driven Decisions:
Rely collects and analyses data on reported incidents, helping employers identify patterns and high-risk areas within the organization. This data-driven approach enables the formulation of targeted interventions to mitigate risks. - Accountability and Transparency:
By maintaining a transparent record of reported hazards and the actions taken to address them, the use of Rely fosters accountability at all organizational levels. It ensures that reported issues are not overlooked and that appropriate measures are implemented to improve the workplace environment. - Enhancing Organizational Culture:
Proactively managing psychosocial hazards reported through Rely contributes to a healthier organizational culture. It demonstrates a commitment to employee well-being, which can enhance employee engagement, retention, and overall productivity.
Rely enables organisations to better prevent and manage psychosocial hazards at work through anonymous reporting options, intelligent case management, and trend reporting. Book a demo to learn more.
—————–
Further reading:
SafeWork Australia Code of Practice for managing psychosocial hazards at work.
SafeWork Australia Data Report Psychological health and safety in the workplace
Intelligent case management – data insights from SafeWork Australia