Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces: Promoting Employee Wellbeing and Understanding Work-related Psychosocial Hazards

Work plays an important role in our lives. It can provide us with a sense of purpose, income, and social connection. However, work can also be a source of stress and contribute to poor mental health outcomes. While there are many individual and social factors that impact our mental health, workplace risk factors can cause or exacerbate existing mental health conditions. Safe Work Australia recently reported that workers with compensation claims for mental health conditions experienced poorer return-to-work outcomes and were away from work four times longer compared to workers experiencing physical injuries and illnesses. These statistics go some way in demonstrating the significant impact work-related mental health harm can have on individuals and organisations. Therefore, it is crucial for employers to understand work-related psychosocial hazards and promote mentally healthy workplace practices.

What are Work-related Psychosocial Hazards?

Psychosocial hazards are factors in the work environment that can potentially cause psychological or physical harm to workers. These hazards can arise from various aspects of work, including job demands, low job control, poor support systems, organisational change management, inadequate reward and recognition, poor working relationships, remote or isolated work, poor environmental conditions, traumatic events, bullying, harassment, and sexual harassment. It is imperative for employers to identify and manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace to ensure their workers' psychological health and safety.

Potential Impacts of Psychosocial Hazards on Worker Wellbeing

When workers are exposed to psychosocial hazards, particularly when frequent, prolonged, or serious (such as a traumatic event), they may experience a stress response that could cause psychological or physical harm. The types of psychological harm workers may experience as a result of exposure to psychosocial hazards may include mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder, or suicide. Notably, physical health issues such as cardiovascular disease or musculoskeletal disorders can also arise due to exposure to psychological hazards. Employers must prioritise interventions and strategies that proactively protect workers and prevent harm.

Safeguarding Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace

Across Australia and New Zealand, work health and safety regulators have implemented and reinforced legal frameworks to prevent harm associated with psychosocial hazards at work. Employers should familiarise themselves with the relevant legislative obligations applicable to their jurisdiction and industry. Consulting government agencies and resources specific to their jurisdiction provides detailed information on legislative requirements related to psychosocial hazards.

Psychosocial Risk Management

Managing psychosocial hazards involves a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and controlling risks within the workplace. Compared with physical hazards, some of the inherent complexities of psychosocial hazards, such as the intangible nature of the psychosocial issues, can make it challenging to effectively manage risks. For example, psychosocial hazards tend to be more intangible than physical hazards, where there may be visible evidence of a problem, making it easier to understand the risk. Employers need to identify psychosocial hazards and evaluate the associated risks. Factors such as the likelihood and consequences of work-related stress should be considered during the assessment. Once risks are identified and assessed, employers should implement appropriate control measures to eliminate or minimize psychosocial hazards as far as possible. Regular review and continuous improvement of these control measures are also essential to ensure ongoing effectiveness in addressing psychosocial hazards.

Leadership Commitment

Visible leadership commitment across the organisation is crucial to a successful risk management process. It is important for senior leaders to consistently demonstrate support for the prevention and management of work-related stress. This commitment should permeate throughout the organisation and promote a culture where employee health, safety, and wellbeing are prioritised. Leaders can set meaningful work health and safety objectives for the organisation and allocate adequate resources to developing and continuously improving initiatives that control and reduce the risk of psychological hazards.

Communication and Consultation with Workers

Effective communication and consultation with workers are fundamental to a mentally healthy workplace. Employers must ensure workers are aware of the risks associated with psychosocial hazards and the measures in place to manage them. Workers should also be consulted on any proposed changes that may impact their psychological health and safety. This open communication and consultation can help foster a positive work environment and improve worker engagement.

Early Intervention

Early intervention plays a crucial role in protecting workers and promoting wellbeing within the workplace. Often, front-line leaders and managers close to day-to-day operations and interactions with workers first notice signs of distress, such as reduced work performance, low morale or energy levels, increase unplanned leave etc. Therefore, it is important that leaders are equipped with adequate mental health literacy and skills to confidently talk with workers about work-related stress. Workers may be more likely to seek out approachable leaders who are empathetic when bringing sensitive issues to their attention. Providing training to managers may equip them with the skills and knowledge to handle such conversations sensitively and effectively.

Benefits of Creating Mentally Healthy Workplaces

Investing in mentally healthy workplaces brings numerous benefits for both employees and organisations. Supportive work environments can reduce the onset, severity, impact, and duration of mental health conditions. Organisations that effectively manage psychosocial hazards are likely to experience improved productivity, sustainability, and growth. Additionally, mentally healthy workplaces contribute to lower absenteeism rates, increased job satisfaction, and reduced compensation costs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, promoting a mentally healthy workplace is essential for the psychological health and safety of workers and the success of organisations. Employers must understand and manage work-related psychosocial hazards to minimize the risk of harm. Visible leadership commitment, effective communication and consultation with workers, and a systematic approach to risk management are key elements of a mentally healthy workplace.

References and More Information

World Health Organisation - https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work

Safe Work Australia - https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health/psychosocial-hazards

WorkSafe Queensland - https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/laws-and-compliance/codes-of-practice/managing-the-risk-of-psychosocial-hazards-at-work-code-of-practice-2022

Safe Work - https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/resource-library/list-of-all-codes-of-practice/codes-of-practice/managing-psychosocial-hazards-at-work

WorkSafe Victoria - https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/psychosocial-hazards-contributing-work-related-stress

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