People at WorkRisk management for work-related psychological injury

Session Overview

1. What is People at Work

2. Why is it important

3. How does it work

What is People at Work?

Context

• WHS legislation around Australia requires that employers take all reasonable steps to provide working environments that are safe and without risks to health, including psychological health.

• A structured way to manage these risks is available through People at Work, a research collaboration among The University of Queensland and The Australian National University, with Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, WorkSafe Victoria, Safe Work Australia, WorkCover NSW, Comcare, and Beyond Blue (Partner Organisations).

Overview of People at Work

• Measures how your different workplace characteristics influence worker psychological health and wellbeing.

• Provides a 5 step process that helps organisations identify and manage workplace risks to the psychological health of their workers.

• Has been underway since 2007, gathering comparative data for approximately 7000 workers across public and private workplaces, most industries and occupations.

Preventing workplace stressors

TERTIARY INTERVENTION

- Injury management

- Rehabilitation- Return-to-Work- Complaint work

SECONDARY INTERVENTION

Responding to early indicators of absence, injury and illness

PRIMARY WHS INTERVENTION

Prevention/Risk Management

- Hazard ID- Risk assessment- Implement controls- Review & improve

PEOPLE AT WORK

Why is it Important?And what are the benefits?

Why manage risks to psychological health?

• Apart from legislative requirements, it makes good business sense to manage the risks to psychological health.

• Work environments that contain these risks can have significant human and financial costs.

Why is People at Work Important?

• Work-related psychological injury happens often and costs a lot.

• You have legal (WHS) duties to manage the risk

• People at Work provides a structured ‘how to’, 5 step process for primary prevention

• The program is supported by WHSQ, WorkSafe Victoria, WorkCover NSW, Comcare, Safe Work Australia and Beyondblue.

What are the Benefits?

Participating organisations have access to:– an online risk assessment tool– online support resources

Organisations receive:– a tailored organisational report that highlights your

specific work-related risks to psychological health of your workforce 

Allows organisations to:– focus on prevention – develop a risk control plan that targets any specific

problems

How does it work?

Work-related Stress

Psychological Injury/Illness

Poor health behaviours

PhysicalIllness

HIGH JOB DEMANDS

1. Demand: role overload,cognitive demand, emotional demand

2. Role conflict and role ambiguity

3. Relationships: group taskconflict, group relationshipconflict, bullying

LOW JOB RESOURCES

4. Control

5. Support: supervisor and co-worker support

6. Change consultation

7. Recognition and reward

8. Procedural justice

5 Steps Involved

How does People at Work ‘work’

1. Levels of psychological well-being in your organisation

and (up to 10) workgroups

2. The % of workers exposed to psychosocial risk factors

(such as high job demands and low job resources)

3. Comparisons of your organisational exposure to

psychosocial risk factors with Australian benchmarks

4. The prevalence of bullying in your organisation and (up

to 10) workgroups

Report Information

Reports - Example

Reports - Example

Approximate timeframes

To prepare your organisation/ communicate with staff

~ 6 weeks

For workers to complete survey ~ 20 minutes

For UQ to analyse data/produce report

~ 6 weeks

To consult with staff about results and action planning

~3-6 weeks

To implement action plan 12-18 months

Evaluation of controls via time

2 survey~12-18 months

Summary

• Work-related psychological injury has a high cost for workers and employers

• People at Work is a valid and reliable risk assessment process for Psychological injury– Substantial free resources are available to

support organisations – Engaging in People at Work will assist to meet

your WHS duties