- AHRI reported that 68.5% of workers surveyed in a study had experienced burnout to the extent that it had affected work performance 1
- A survey by the Australian Psychological Association (APA) reported that 81% of employees consider an organisation’s support for employee well-being when making future job decisions 3.
Employee well-being refers to an employee’s ability to navigate the successes and challenges of work and life 1.
Studies show that an employee’s physical, psychological, social, and emotional health can be influenced by how they perform at work 1 3 6. This is because opportunities at work for ongoing learning, meaningful achievements, and strong relationships with others can drive motivation to work and lead to better outcomes.
The Australian HR Institute (AHRI) reported in their “Workplace Report on the State of Wellbeing in Australian Workplaces”, that since 2019 there have been declining levels of resilience within Australia’s workforce 1. Employees’ levels of performance and satisfaction were affected due to burnout at work as experienced by more than two-thirds of the study (68.5%). This highlights the critical nature of identifying and mitigating psychosocial risks in the workplace to prevent negative impacts on employee well-being.
What are Psychosocial Risks?
Psychosocial risks are hazards that can arise from the management of work, a negative workplace environment, or employee interactions and behaviours that may cause psychological harm 2. This may lead to increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and the likelihood of sleep disorders.
Below are examples of psychosocial risks and how these may impact employees:
High job demands imply that significant physical, mental, or emotional effort is needed to complete a task 8. These demands may include resource constraints, excessive workloads without enough breaks, or exposure to harassment or bullying.
Employees who experience high job demands may often feel overwhelmed or unable to cope, particularly when there are low levels of support and other psychological risks in the workplace 4. For example, the AHRI reported from a sample of 1,002 Australian workers that unachievable job demands were most frequently experienced by 93.5% of workers who felt burnt out 1.
Role ambiguity means that employees lack important job-related information and are unsure of their roles, responsibilities, and expectations 5. This lack of clarity can occur in several situations involving changes at work, such as starting a new job or working for a new supervisor.
When role ambiguity is frequent, prolonged, or severe, it may increase workplace stress and decrease productivity and collaboration among employees 5.
Poor change management was suggested by the AHRI as being the most frequently experienced psychosocial hazard 1. For example, 80.9% of workers reported that they were not consulted about workplace changes, and 30.1% stated that their preferred work arrangements were overlooked by their organisation.
Overall, poor change management may involve a lack of communication and support that can lead to increased stress, fatigue, and conflict among employees 1.
Harmful behaviours can include violence, aggression, bullying, harassment, conflict, or poor workplace relationships and interactions 7. These behaviours may harm the targeted employee or anyone who witnesses the behaviour and is often the result of poor workplace culture supported by an environment that allows this behaviour to continue.
The AHRI also reported that 90.6% of workers experienced poor workplace relationships while 87.9% endured harassment in their workplace, which indicates the significant risk to employee wellbeing 1. That is, harmful behaviours may negatively impact employee well-being by potentially causing physical injuries, low morale, disrupted workflow, increased turnover, and a lack of team cohesion 7.
Addressing these psychosocial risks may help protect and promote employee well-being, which can increase employee job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and individual performance 1.
How to Manage Psychosocial Risks
Organisations can minimise or eliminate psychosocial risks by following a risk management process that involves identifying and assessing psychosocial risks, implementing control measures, and then regularly reviewing this process to ensure long-term effectiveness 9.
These control measures can reduce the level of harm or exposure to psychosocial risks. They often include the following workplace recommendations:
Promoting workplace well-being by providing mental health resources that employees feel comfortable accessing, including alternative tools to the Employee Assistance Programs 1.
Research suggests the importance of making such resources more inclusive through the use of well-being workshops, coaching, and AI bots 1. These support services can help educate, empower, and encourage employees to manage everyday stress in the workplace.
Increasing flexible work arrangements can offer mental health support to employees in various ways.
A survey by the Australian Psychological Association (APA) reported that 81% of employees consider an organisation’s support for employee well-being when making future job decisions 3. This is further supported by 41% of employees who chose flexible work hours as their most sought-after option for mental health support, followed by 34% who preferred a respectable workplace culture that values time off.
These results emphasise that organisations should increase their flexibility options and consider employee feedback.
Making work more meaningful can increase workplace engagement as many employees question the purpose of their work 1. This is a notable concern as the AHRI reported that only 39.1% of workers felt their work was valuable and worthwhile, which declined from 47% in 2021 and 52.9% in 2020.
Organisations can increase employee job satisfaction and fulfilment by engaging them in open conversations about workplace goals and how they can make a positive impact within the organisation 1.
Improving early intervention can help organisations recognise and manage psychosocial risks when they arise. Research from the APA stated that effective early intervention programs can result in a five-fold return on investment due to increased productivity among employees 6.
By providing supervisors or managers with the time, resources, and skills to address psychosocial risks, they can become more responsive and supportive of their employee’s well-being 1. This may prevent employees from experiencing the negative impacts of psychosocial risks as assistance is offered immediately and tailored to individual needs 6.
Given the variety of challenges and stresses that employees face in the workplace, it is imperative to foster a healthy and respectful workplace by recognising and mitigating psychosocial risks 3.
Reference List
- Australian HR Institute. 2022. 2019-2022 Workplace Report on the State of Wellbeing in
Australian Workplaces. https://www.ahri.com.au/wp-content/uploads/MMcQ_WellbeingLab_Australia_WorkplaceSurvey_2019-2022-1.pdf. - Australian HR Institute. n.d. “Psychosocial Code of Practice.” PowerPoint.
https://www.ahri.com.au/wp-content/uploads/AHRI-PsyCoP-Slides-5.12.23.pdf. - Australian Psychological Association. 2022. Workers Appreciate and Seek Mental Health Support in the Workplace. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/work-well-being/2022-mental-health-support
- Comcare. 2024. Job Demands. Australian Government. https://www.comcare.gov.au/safe-healthy-work/prevent-harm/psychosocial-hazards/job-demands#:~:text=Workers%20who%20experience%20high%20job,feel%20bored%2C%20disengaged%20or%20underutilised.
- Comcare. 2024. Lack of Role Clarity. Australian Government.https://www.comcare.gov.au/safe-healthy-work/prevent-harm/psychosocial-hazards/role-clarity.
- Comcare. n.d. Working Together: Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing at Work. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory: Australian Public Service Commission. https://www.comcare.gov.au/about/forms-pubs/docs/pubs/safety/working-together-mental-health-wellbeing-accessible.pdf.
- Safe Work Australia. n.d. Harmful Behaviours. Australian Government. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health/psychosocial-hazards/harmful-behaviours.
- Safe Work Australia. n.d. Job Demands. Australian Government. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health/psychosocial-hazards/job-demands.
- Safe Work Australia. n.d. Psychosocial Hazards. Australian Government. Accessed November 4, 2024. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/mental-health/psychosocial-hazards.