How to Prevent Psychosocial Hazards at Work

Psychosocial hazards can arise from how work is designed, managed and carried out. Excessive workloads, poor support, unclear responsibilities, workplace conflict and exposure to aggression are not simply employee wellbeing concerns. They can create risks to psychological health and safety. For Australian business owners, HR managers and people leaders, prevention means examining workplace conditions and addressing hazards before they cause harm.

This guide explains common psychosocial hazards, how to identify and assess the risks, which control measures employers can consider and where an Employee Assistance Program fits within a broader workplace prevention and support strategy.

What Are Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace?

A psychosocial hazard is anything at work that could cause psychological harm. Hazards can arise from the design or management of work, the working environment, equipment or workplace interactions and behaviours.

Safe Work Australia’s guidance on psychosocial hazards identifies examples including high or low job demands, low job control, poor support, unclear responsibilities, poorly managed organisational change, inadequate recognition, remote or isolated work, traumatic events, bullying, harassment, conflict, violence and aggression.

A psychosocial hazard is not the same as a psychosocial risk. The hazard is the workplace condition or behaviour with the potential to cause harm. The risk concerns the likelihood and potential severity of that harm.

Hazards may also interact. For example, a demanding workload may create a greater risk when employees have little control over priorities, cannot take adequate breaks and receive limited support. Employers should therefore examine how people experience the work as a whole rather than assessing every hazard in isolation.

What Are Common Psychosocial Hazards at Work?

Psychosocial hazards can appear in any workplace, regardless of its size or industry. They may remain hidden because employees continue completing their work while pressure builds.

Common examples include:

• High or low job demands:

Excessive workloads, unrealistic deadlines, prolonged emotional demands, insufficient recovery time or too little meaningful work.

• Low job control:

Limited influence over work methods, schedules, priorities or decisions that directly affect the employee’s role.

• Poor organisational support:

Inadequate staffing, training, equipment, supervision or practical help when difficulties arise.

• Lack of role clarity:

Conflicting instructions, unclear responsibilities or uncertainty about decision-making authority.

• Poorly managed change:

Restructures, new technology or changed working arrangements introduced without appropriate communication and consultation.

• Harmful behaviour:

Bullying, harassment, discrimination, aggression, violence or unresolved workplace conflict.

• Remote or isolated work:

Working alone, outside normal hours or in locations where immediate assistance is limited.

• Exposure to trauma:

Experiencing or witnessing distressing incidents or repeatedly handling traumatic information.

Several workplace conditions may be present at the same time. High workloads, low control and limited manager support, for example, may create a combined risk greater than any single factor alone.

This also explains why surface-level wellbeing activities are not enough when the underlying issue is unsafe or unsustainable work design. Wisdom Wellbeing’s article on why work design, not office perks, helps address burnout explores this distinction in more detail.

Why Must Employers Manage Psychosocial Risks?

Under Australia’s model work health and safety framework, psychosocial risks should be eliminated where reasonably practicable. Where elimination is not reasonably practicable, the risks should be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable.

Requirements are not identical across every Australian state and territory. Employers should check the legislation, regulations and approved codes applying in each jurisdiction where the organisation operates.

The consequences of psychological harm can also be significant. Safe Work Australia’s national data on psychological health and safety reported that mental health conditions accounted for 9% of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2021–22. These claims had increased by 36.9% since 2017–18. Median time lost was more than four times greater than for physical injuries and illnesses, while median compensation was more than three times higher.

These figures do not mean every psychosocial hazard will result in psychological injury. They demonstrate why early identification and effective workplace controls matter.

This information is general and does not replace legal or work health and safety advice. Employers should check the requirements applying to their organisation and jurisdiction.

How Can Employers Identify Psychosocial Hazards?

Employers should not wait for a psychological injury, compensation claim or formal complaint before examining workplace conditions.

Potential sources of information include:

• Worker and team consultation
• Workplace observations and inspections
• Hazard and incident reports
• Complaints and grievances
• Absence and employee turnover patterns
• Overtime, workload and rostering information
• Exit feedback
• Workers’ compensation information
• Discussions with health and safety representatives
• Reviews following workplace change

Employee surveys can contribute useful information, but they should not be the only source of evidence. A survey result may indicate that employees are experiencing pressure without explaining which working conditions are driving it.

Employers should consult the people performing the work. Useful questions include:

• Which tasks create the greatest pressure?
• Are workloads and deadlines realistic?
• Do employees understand their responsibilities?
• Can employees access help when problems arise?
• Have recent changes introduced new hazards?
• Are existing controls practical and effective?
• Are people comfortable reporting concerns?

Consultation should lead to visible action. Employers should explain what was identified, which controls are being considered and when their effectiveness will be reviewed.

How Should Employers Assess Psychosocial Risks?

A psychosocial risk assessment considers the likelihood that exposure will cause harm and how serious the potential harm may be.

Employers should examine:

• How frequently exposure occurs
• How long the exposure continues
• The severity of the workplace conditions
• How many employees may be exposed
• Whether several hazards interact
• Whether particular roles or locations face greater exposure
• Whether existing controls are effective

A short period of high demand might be manageable when employees have sufficient resources, appropriate control and adequate recovery time. The same demand may create a greater risk when the team is understaffed, priorities constantly change and manager support is unavailable.

The assessment should focus on the work rather than judging whether individual employees are resilient enough to manage it. Employees may respond differently, but the employer’s responsibility is to address workplace conditions capable of causing harm.

How Can Psychosocial Hazards Be Prevented?

The accepted risk-management process is to identify hazards, assess risks, implement effective controls and review whether those controls are working. Consultation should occur throughout the process.

Where reasonably practicable, employers should eliminate the hazard. If elimination is not possible, prevention should prioritise changes to work design, systems and workplace conditions.

• Redesign excessive or conflicting workloads

Review deadlines, staffing, task allocation, working hours and recovery time. Controls may include removing unnecessary work, changing priorities, increasing resources or reallocating tasks.

• Increase appropriate employee control

Where practicable, give employees meaningful input into work methods, scheduling, break timing and task sequencing. Employees should also have a practical way to raise concerns when priorities become unmanageable.

• Improve role clarity and support

Employees should understand their responsibilities, priorities, decision authority, performance expectations and escalation pathways. Managers also need enough time, information and authority to support their teams.

• Consult employees during workplace change

Explain what is changing, why the change is occurring, how responsibilities may be affected and where concerns can be raised. Early consultation can reveal risks before a change is implemented.

• Prevent harmful workplace behaviour

Establish clear standards of conduct, accessible reporting pathways and fair processes for responding to concerns. Policies are only effective when employees can use them and concerns are addressed consistently. Wisdom Wellbeing’s strategic guide to anti-bullying and EAP integration provides additional guidance for leaders.

• Design safer systems for aggression and trauma

Depending on the work, controls may include suitable staffing, physical security, duress systems, withdrawal procedures, job rotation, incident protocols and structured recovery following traumatic exposure.

Resilience training and counselling can support employees, but they cannot correct unsafe systems, unreasonable demands or harmful workplace behaviour.

How Should Workers Be Consulted About Risks?

Employees often understand practical workplace hazards that are not visible in policies, survey scores or management reports.

Consultation should occur when employers:

• Identify psychosocial hazards
• Assess potential risks
• Decide which controls to introduce
• Plan workplace changes
• Review whether controls are effective

Consultation does not mean every employee request must be accepted. It means workers receive relevant information, have a reasonable opportunity to express their views and understand how those views were considered.

A workplace where employees can raise workload problems, mistakes and emerging risks without being dismissed is better placed to identify hazards early. This is closely connected to psychological safety, which Wisdom Wellbeing explores in why authentic psychological safety matters at work.

When Should Psychosocial Controls Be Reviewed?

Psychosocial risk controls should be reviewed regularly and whenever workplace circumstances change.

A review may be needed when:

• A new hazard is identified
• An incident or psychological injury occurs
• Employees report that a control is not working
• Staffing, rosters or workloads change
• New technology or processes are introduced
• The organisation restructures
• Reports of bullying, conflict or aggression increase
• A health and safety representative requests a review in applicable circumstances

Employers should examine both implementation and impact. A new reporting procedure is not effective simply because it has been published. Employees must be able to use it, managers must understand how to respond and concerns must lead to appropriate action.

Indicators such as absenteeism, presenteeism, complaints and turnover can help employers identify patterns, but they require context. Wisdom Wellbeing’s article on how presenteeism affects workplace productivity explains why an employee being physically present does not necessarily mean the employee is able to work effectively.

Can an EAP Help Manage Psychosocial Hazards?

An Employee Assistance Program can provide confidential counselling and practical support for employees experiencing personal or workplace concerns. It can also help managers respond appropriately when an employee needs support outside the manager’s role.

However, an EAP is not a substitute for controlling psychosocial hazards.

Counselling cannot eliminate excessive workloads, unclear responsibilities, bullying, unsafe customer interactions or poorly managed organisational change. These hazards require action through work design, workplace systems and management practices.

An EAP is most effective when it complements:

• Safe and sustainable work design
• Effective psychosocial risk controls
• Employee consultation
• Manager guidance
• Clear reporting and escalation pathways
• Early access to confidential support
• Regular communication about available services

Employers should also make sure employees understand how and when to access their EAP. Wisdom Wellbeing’s guide to promoting an EAP to employees outlines practical ways to keep support visible.

Want to understand the cost of confidential workforce support? Explore Wisdom Wellbeing’s EAP pricing options for your organisation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychosocial Hazards

• What is a psychosocial hazard?

A psychosocial hazard is something arising from the design or management of work, the working environment or workplace interactions that may cause psychological harm. Examples include excessive demands, low job control, inadequate support, unclear responsibilities, bullying, aggression, remote work and exposure to traumatic events or material.

• What are examples of psychosocial hazards at work?

Examples include unrealistic workloads, insufficient staffing, poor manager support, unclear roles, poorly managed organisational change, bullying, harassment, conflict, aggression, isolated work and exposure to trauma. Hazards may interact, meaning a workload problem can create a greater risk when employees also have limited control, support and recovery time.

• How can employers prevent psychosocial hazards?

Employers should identify hazards, assess their risks, eliminate hazards where reasonably practicable and minimise remaining risks through effective workplace controls. Prevention may involve redesigning work, adjusting workloads, improving staffing, clarifying responsibilities, consulting employees and creating safer systems for aggression, isolated work or traumatic exposure.

• Is managing psychosocial hazards a legal requirement?

Australian WHS and OHS frameworks require employers to manage risks to workers’ psychological health and safety. The legislation, regulations and approved codes vary between states and territories. Employers should check the specific requirements applying in every jurisdiction where they operate and seek professional or legal advice when needed.

• Is providing an EAP enough to manage psychosocial risk?

No. An EAP can provide confidential counselling, employee support and manager guidance, but it does not replace workplace risk controls. Excessive workloads, bullying, poor role clarity and unsafe systems require organisational action. An EAP should complement prevention, consultation and safe work design rather than serving as the employer’s only response.

Related Entities

Psychosocial hazards: Workplace conditions or interactions with the potential to cause psychological harm.

• Psychosocial risk management:

Identifying hazards, assessing risks, implementing controls and reviewing their effectiveness.

• Psychological health and safety:

Protecting workers from work-related conditions capable of causing psychological harm.

• Safe work design:

Designing tasks, systems and environments to eliminate or minimise health and safety risks.

• Employee Assistance Program:

Confidential employee support that complements, but does not replace, workplace risk controls.

Call Wisdom Wellbeing on 1800868659 to discuss support for your organisation.