Addressing psychosocial hazards fosters healthy workplaces

Early intervention is critical

Identifying these hazards early allows organisations to act before they significantly affect employee well-being and productivity.

“Early identification of these hazards is crucial, as it allows organisations to address them before they significantly impact employee well-being and productivity,” Coram says.

However, psychosocial risks vary by industry. In corporate environments, challenges like workload pressure, job instability, and limited autonomy frequently take precedence.

According to the Snapshot: Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace report, healthcare workers account for the highest number of mental health claims, with 16.4 per cent involving occupational violence. Teachers face high psychosocial hazards like burnout and emotional strain.

“Different industries experience unique types of stress based on their work environments and demands,” Coram says. “In the corporate sector, workload pressure, job insecurity, and lack of autonomy are some of the major psychosocial hazards employees face.”

Other industries have their own challenges. “Manufacturing and construction workers face physical hazards, isolation, and workplace bullying, which can significantly impact their mental health,” she says.

In retail and hospitality, customer aggression, irregular hours, and sales targets are common stressors. Transport and logistics workers often deal with fatigue and time pressures, while public safety roles face trauma exposure and decision-making stress.

Even in agriculture, where financial strain and isolation are prevalent, workload fluctuations add another layer of complexity. Coram says addressing these unique stressors requires tailored interventions for each sector.

Tools to create safer workplaces

Coram says businesses are increasingly looking for tools to address these hazards systematically.

“We provide organisations with the tools they need to recognise and mitigate psychosocial hazards, enabling them to take proactive measures to safeguard employee wellbeing,” she says.

These tools include regular assessments to track changes and identify risks, as well as tailored training programs.

“Safetrac’s platform helps companies conduct regular assessments, track changes over time, and implement tailored interventions to address workplace hazards,” she says.

Compliance training is a cornerstone of these interventions, covering topics such as bullying, discrimination, cultural diversity, respect at work, and fatigue management.

Safetrac also develops bespoke solutions to meet the specific needs of individual organisations.

“Beyond generic training, we develop highly customised solutions tailored to the specific needs and hazards prevalent within each individual organisation,” Coram says.

Tailored solutions

An example of this tailored approach involved a financial services client struggling with stress and burnout among its leadership team. The firm worked with the organisation to identify key stressors, including communication issues and heavy workloads.

“Through our customised training and psychosocial risk assessments, they were able to pinpoint the key stressors and implement targeted solutions,” Coram says.

“The client worked to adapt their policies, introduced clearer communication protocols, provided stress management training, and adjusted workloads. The result was a noticeable improvement in employee engagement and a significant reduction in absenteeism.”

Building a culture of respect and inclusion

Addressing psychosocial risks is more than a compliance exercise—it’s about creating a workplace culture of respect and inclusion. Initiatives like Respect@Work are setting new standards for preventing harassment and discrimination, pushing organisations to go beyond their legal obligations.

Australian Psychological Society (APS) CEO, Dr Zena Burgess, stresses the importance of prevention in building psychologically safe workplaces, adding that improving psychosocial outcomes boosts productivity.

By weaving prevention into workplace culture, organisations can guard against the harmful effects of stress and burnout while fostering environments that support mental well-being and resilience. This proactive approach not only protects employees but also enhances overall organisational health.

“Psychosocial hazards that contribute to workplace stress can interfere with an employee’s capacity to think clearly and make effective decisions, leading to decreased output, poor performance, and avoidable errors,” says Burgess.

This impact often extends beyond the individual to the workplace culture. “Occupational stress can manifest in procrastination, disconnection, withdrawal from colleagues, and increased absenteeism.

To combat these issues, organisations must go beyond policies and embrace structural and cultural change.

“Organisations are required to go beyond just policies and training to changing how work is done to make it safer and to build supportive and psychologically safe cultures that protect positive mental health,” she says.

The APS encourages organisations to implement practical measures to address psychosocial risks.

“Employers can be proactive in implementing clear organisational structures and practices to guard against psychosocial hazards,” Burgess says.

“This includes appropriate staff selection, training and development, and the creation of clear job descriptions with clearly communicated expectations.”

A focus on transparency and communication is critical. “Employees should be well informed when changes are made in the organisation and know how to escalate issues when they have concerns,” Burgess says.

The APS is particularly concerned about the increasing prevalence of psychological injuries in the workplace “and we will continue our efforts in the cross-sectoral approach with organisations and governments to reverse this trend”, Burgess says.

Research underpins many strategies the APS advocates to manage occupational stress. “Several psychological strategies have been shown to be effective in managing occupational stress,” Burgess says.

“Cognitive strategies, such as recognising and challenging unhelpful thoughts and working with a psychologist to identify specific stress triggers, are highly beneficial.”

Proactively addressing stress before it escalates can make a significant difference. “People experiencing workplace stress can develop a strategy to notice the warning signs of stress in future situations and rehearse challenging and changing negative self-talk,” she says.

Communication skills are also vital for fostering a healthy workplace. “It is important to practise assertive communication and problem-solving communication strategies to express your needs clearly and respectfully in the workplace,” Burgess says.

By integrating these evidence-based strategies into workplace practices, organisations can protect employees’ mental health while building supportive environments that enable both individuals and businesses to thrive.

To find out more, please visit Safetrac.