New resource to boost psychological health in the workplace

Work-related stress can be caused by psychosocial hazards and factors in the workplace, including poor workplace relationships, high work demands, long working hours and exposure to workplace violence. These factors may also be compounded by domestic issues such as financial problems or relationship difficulties.

Although PCBUs cannot control personal issues affecting their workers, they must eliminate or minimise exposure to work-related hazards and factors that can increase the risk of psychological harm. The Preventing and managing risks to work-related psychological health   handbook is a practical tool to assist PCBUs with managing work-related psychosocial hazards and creating a mentally healthy workplace.

The handbook highlights how workers are likely to be exposed to a combination of psychosocial hazards and factors - some may always be present, while others only occasionally. It looks at:

• high and low job demands
• low job control
• poor support
• poor workplace relationships (includes work-related bullying)
• low role clarity
• poor organisational change management
• low reward and recognition
• poor environmental conditions or remote and isolated work.

The handbook can help PCBUs refresh their psychosocial risk assessment or conduct a psychosocial risk assessment in consultation with work teams.

Further information

More information on mentally healthy workplaces is at worksafe.qld.gov.au.