What are Psychosocial Hazards
Within occupational health and safety, psychosocial hazards refer to varying factors within an organisation, which include - administration, surroundings, resources, or interpersonal dynamics within a workplace. These hazards possess the potential to elevate the likelihood of work-related stress. The consequences can be far reaching, not just for your staff, but also for your customers. Undue stress can lead to absenteeism, failure to perform and staff turnover. Therefore, a psychosocial risk jeopardises the well-being or safety of your staff and business due to the presence of these hazards.
Let's identify some psychosocial Hazards
Emotional demand
Within your scope of employment emotional demands encompass a range of tasks and activities that require individuals to pretend feelings, such as happiness and enthusiasm, even when faced with circumstances that may be frustrating or anxiety-inducing. Additionally, emotionally demanding occupations can involve exposure to distressing or sensitive situations.
A good example of this is Disability Support Workers: Who support individuals with disabilities and often require emotional resilience and empathy. These workers may need to manage their emotions while assisting individuals who may be experiencing pain, frustration, or emotional distress. They must remain composed, patient, and supportive, even in the most challenging situations.
Role Ambiguity
Role ambiguity arises when there is an absence of clarity or uncertainty surrounding the expectations and responsibilities associated with a particular role. It can stem from a lack of information or understanding regarding the tasks and obligations involved. Furthermore, role ambiguity can be intensified by frequent changes in requirements, objectives, and responsibilities. Consequently, this state of uncertainty can lead to confusion regarding the specific duties that should be undertaken by a worker, ultimately resulting in challenges and difficulties.
For instance, let's consider Neo, who works in a residential care facility for individuals with disabilities. When initially hired, Neo is provided with a clear job description, outlining their tasks, responsibilities, and expected outcomes. Neo understands their role involves assisting residents with daily activities, such as personal care, meal preparation, and medication administration.
However, over time, management begins to change the controls placed on the support worker's role. They introduce new procedures, modify existing protocols, and adjust the expectations without clear communication or sufficient training. As a result, Neo becomes unsure about what they are precisely supposed to do, as their role constantly evolves and lacks clarity.
Role conflict
Role conflict arises when individuals experience conflicting responsibilities or directives within their professional roles, or when they are compelled to act in a manner that contradicts their personal values. This conflict often emerges in conjunction with role ambiguity, further complicating the situation.
Examples of this include:
Contradictory Tasks - These can occur when different employees, teams, or departments hold opposing viewpoints, goals, or approaches, leading to confusion, inefficiency, and difficulty in making decisions.
Conflicting direction – Supervisors who change their minds about protocols often and without clarity surrounding those changes.
Clash of personal values – such as religion or culture
Role overload
Role overload occurs when workers feel stress and pressure due to excessive work demands, including high workloads, deadlines that are difficult to meet, and problems meeting unreasonable workplace expectations and objectives.
An example of this: Samantha, a caregiver at a shared home for people with complex disabilities, is responsible for managing medications, assisting with daily living tasks, organising activities, and providing emotional support to the residents. In addition, she is expected to handle administrative duties and attend regular training sessions. With limited staff and an ever-increasing workload, Samantha finds herself overcome and struggling to meet all the demands, leading to stress and anxiety.
Role overload to a staff member can lead to less than desirable outcomes for clients.
Group relationship conflict
Group relationship conflict can disrupt team performance and impact the psychological health of workers. If the conflict remains unmanaged, it can also lead to workplace bullying.
Examples of this may include:
Task-based conflicts - most often occur in situations when team members rely on each other to complete a task or project.
Leadership conflicts - Some differences occur because of contrasting leadership styles.
Work style conflicts - Some members of your team may approach tasks contradictory to others.
Personality clashes - not everyone likes each other which can lead to misunderstandings and confrontation.
Workplace bullying
Workplace bullying is defined as repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers, that creates a risk to health and safety.
Work-relate violence and aggression
Workplace violence is any incident in which a person is verbally abused, threatened, or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. Work-related violence can result in physical and/or psychological injuries. This can also include customers who are abusive to your staff.
Ways to minimise psychosocial hazards:
Supervisor support
Supervisor support is the extent to which managers guide and value the contributions of their workers and provide care and emotional support on the job. Supervisor support can include activities such as assisting with work tasks, giving advice, helping to resolve issues, listening to worker concerns, and offering support.
Co-worker support
Co-worker support is often the unseen assistance and emotional support that your team members provide to each other on a day-to-day basis. This can include giving information and advice, assisting to solve problems, sounding out difficult situations, offering care and sympathy and sharing resources.
Praise and recognition
Praise and recognition are acknowledgements of work contributions resulting in increased feelings of confidence, pride, and of being valued. Praise and thanks from supervisors, managers and co-workers can be in gratitude, compliments, and other gestures of appreciation such as a morning tea to celebrate a win, or a certificate to recognise outstanding work and doesn’t need to involve financial reward.
Procedural justice
Procedural justice is based on four essential principles, commonly known as the four pillars:
Fairness in processes.
Transparency in actions.
Opportunities for expressing one's views.
Impartiality in decision-making
Change consultation
Change consultation is the extent that workers are informed about organisational change and invited to participate in decisions that may affect their work. Change consultation can involve engagement and discussion with workers, supervisors and owners of a business.
Policies
Maintaining clear guidelines within your organisation helps establish a common reference point and promotes effective communication. By ensuring these policies are regularly updated and easily accessible, their positive impact can be maximised.
Acknowledgement
Frequently, an employee simply desires to be acknowledged, and attentive listening can act as a catalyst for easing the stress they are experiencing.
The LAMACARE Team
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