Is your workplace set up to protect mental health and wellbeing?
Creating a mentally healthy and safe workplace isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s now a clear responsibility under workplace health and safety laws. Beyond compliance, it also makes good business sense: improving morale, boosting productivity, helping you keep great staff, and reducing absenteeism and workers’ comp claims. Whether you’re just starting out or already working to address psychosocial risks, we offer practical solutions to help you create a safer, more supportive workplace, and protect your people from psychological harm.
Free Progress Review
Take our free progress check to see how you’re tracking against the Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work. It’s a quick way to spot what you’re doing well, and where there’s room to grow.
What are psychosocial hazards, and why do they matter?
Psychosocial hazards are aspects in the design or management of work that may cause a stress response. Over time, that stress can lead to psychological or physical harm. These hazards look different in every workplace, but some common ones include:
- high or low job demand
- poor support from managers, supervisors and/or colleagues
- conflict or poor workplace relationships
- exposure to traumatic events
- bullying
- harassment, including sexual harassment
- violence and aggression
- low job control
- remote or isolated work
- exposure to poor quality or hazardous working environments
To manage psychosocial risks, organisations should follow the same four-step process used for any other health and safety risk:
- Identify the hazards
- Assess the risks
- Implement control measures
- Review regularly to make sure they’re working
The Australian Governments People at Work survey can help you get started with the process.
What are my obligations?
As an employer, you have a legal duty under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 to protect both the physical and psychological health and safety of your workers – so far as is reasonably practicable. While psychosocial risks haven’t always been clearly regulated, that’s now changing. Following national WHS reviews, new regulations and Codes of Practice are being introduced across Australia. These updates make it clear: organisations must now take active steps to identify, assess, and manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
For more details read our article Psychosocial hazards – what are my obligations?
How we can help
Getting started with psychosocial safety
Solutions for organisations who are just getting started or for those who are unsure what they need to do:
- Psychosocial Hazards Education - A series of informative education sessions for leaders (x3) and employees (x1) on psychosocial hazards.
- Progress Review – A free review to establish your organisational needs
- People at work survey – A free psychosocial risk assessment survey by the Australian Government.
Fostering mental wellbeing
Solutions for organisations wanting to promote and support the mental health and wellbeing of their people: