A key focus is taking reasonably practicable steps to prevent harm from psychosocial hazards, such as unreasonable work demands, poorly designed work, and lack of support systems—as reported in Sonder’s Navigating Psychosocial Risk Management Report.
To bring this guide to life, we spoke with Mark Oostergo (Chief Executive & Workplace Psychologist at Australian Psychological Services) and Katherine Morris (Health and Safety Specialist and Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright) for thefirst instalment of our three-part webinar series on navigating psychosocial risk management to build a safer workplace. They shared:
Watch the full recording here, or catch up on the highlights below.
With psychosocial injuries on the rise in workplaces across the country, regulators have stepped in to roll out new regulations for employers.
One example is the new Safe Work NSW Psychological Health and Safety Strategy 2024-2026.
These new standards are designed to help organisations tackle the root causes of psychosocial hazards by identifying the risks that could cause harm, assessing how these risks could impact staff and implementing controls to eliminate and mitigate these risks. These standards aim to prevent psychological harm and make this a core focus for every business in NSW.
This strategy is aimed at ensuring compliance in high-risk and large businesses (200+ full-time employees), with the regulator making it clear that “regulatory action” will be taken towards organisations that have not taken appropriate action to comply with WHS legislation.
As Mark explains, “This new strategy sees a shift away from mentally healthy workplaces and a shift towards compliance. So if you think about the strategic goals within the strategy, it’s very much around ensuring workplaces are aware of what their obligations are in this space, that they’re equipped to meet compliance, and that workplaces will need to absolutely meet the standards for psychological health and state safety.”
For some organisations, this high-touch approach from the regulator is a new process to navigate.
“We've certainly observed that organisations that already have been dealing with Safe Work (typically companies with high physical risks) are very component in navigating the demands of the regulator. However, companies with low physical risks but high psychosocial risks aren’t as familiar with the regulator. That’s why it’s important for these organisations to understand how Safe Work operates, what its powers are, and how to respond to it.”
Katherine Morris
Health and Safety Specialist and Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright
💡 Sonder Tip: A practical place to start is to jump on Safe Work NSW’s website (or your relevant state or territory regulator) to explore the latest strategies and information relevant to your business. These regulators are typically very transparent about they’re powers and how to comply with relevant legislation.
When it comes to how companies are navigating psychosocial risks, the experts we spoke with pointed to a number of significant emerging trends, including:
“In the past, there was a perception that it [psychosocial risk management] was already dealt with in wellbeing programs or a company’s HR processes. But now organisations understand that wellbeing programs need to be built and designed in response to an identified risk. Plus, it needs to be clear how this risk is identified and how this wellbeing initiative will reduce it to ensure it’s part of a systemic risk management program.”
Katherine Morris
Health and Safety Specialist and Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright
Promoting a supportive work environment is crucial to managing psychosocial hazards, mitigating psychosocial risks, and improving employee wellbeing. This can range from cultivating a culture of respect and inclusion, to implementing regular team-building activities, and upskilling leaders to recognise the early signs of burnout.
By addressing psychosocial hazards with urgency, employers can mitigate risks and create a more engaged and productive workforce. Ultimately, investing in the mental and emotional wellbeing of employees is an investment in the larger company, ensuring staff are motivated and able to bring their best selves to work.
With Sonder, personalised support is provided 24/7, so employees can access advice whenever needed. With a comprehensive app that offers a holistic suite of tools, employers can manage psychosocial hazards in the workplace and empower employees to make their health, wellbeing, and safety a priority.
Sonder is a technology company that helps organisations improve the wellbeing of their people so they perform at their best. Our mobile app provides immediate, 24/7 support from a team of safety, medical, and mental health professionals – plus onsite help for time-sensitive scenarios. Accredited by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS), our platform gives leaders the insights they need to act on tomorrow’s wellbeing challenges today.
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