Quick answer
Psychosocial hazards are aspects of work design, management or the environment that can cause psychological or physical harm, such as excessive workload, bullying, poor support or low control. Under Australian work health and safety laws, employers must eliminate or minimise these risks so far as reasonably practicable.
Key takeaways
- Psychosocial hazards are workplace conditions, not personal weaknesses.
- Employers have a legal duty to manage them.
- Use the same cycle as other risks: identify, assess, control, review.
- Consult your team, because they know where the pressure is.
What are common psychosocial hazards?
| Hazard | Example |
|---|---|
| High job demands | Unrealistic workloads and deadlines |
| Low job control | No say over how work is done |
| Poor support | Isolated staff, unhelpful managers |
| Poor role clarity | Unclear tasks and shifting priorities |
| Bullying and harassment | Repeated unreasonable behaviour |
| Poor change management | Restructures with little consultation |
| Remote or isolated work | Lone workers with no check-ins |
What does the law expect?
WHS laws, based on the Model WHS Regulations, require employers to manage risks to psychological health as well as physical health. Rules differ slightly between states and territories, so check your local regulator.
How do you manage the risk?
- Talk to staff about pressures and pain points.
- Review data such as absences, turnover and complaints.
- Rate each hazard by how likely and how serious it is.
- Fix the cause, for example by adjusting workloads or clarifying roles.
- Review whether the changes worked.
What does a good fix look like?
- Realistic rosters and deadlines.
- Regular, honest one-to-ones.
- Clear procedures for reporting bullying.
- Manager training on difficult conversations.
- Consultation before major changes.
Is an employee assistance program enough?
An employee assistance program supports individuals, but it does not remove the cause. Managing psychosocial hazards means fixing the work, not only helping people cope with it.
A short example
A busy clinic notices rising sick leave and complaints from reception staff. After talking to the team, it finds that phone calls pile up while one person covers the desk.
The fix is simple: a second person during peak hours and a clear escalation process for aggressive callers.
Bottom line
Treat mental health risks like any other safety risk. Look for the hazards, talk to your team, fix the causes and review whether the changes worked.
Sources and further reading
Checked against the sources above and our own project experience. Last reviewed 7 October 2026.
