UPDATE FOR VICTORIAN EMPLOYERS
Psychological health is now embedded in Victorian workplace safety laws. The Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 (Vic) require employers, supervisors and managers to systematically identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards in the workplace, placing them on par with physical risks.
Understanding Psychosocial Hazards
Psychosocial hazards are workplace conditions or practices that may cause negative psychological responses and create a risk to health or safety. This includes items such as work overload, low job control, unclear roles, interpersonal conflict, bullying, sexual harassment, exposure to traumatic events, poor organisational change management, and remote or isolated work environments.
The Impact on People and Organisations
If psychosocial hazards are not managed, for employees they can potentially contribute to stress, anxiety, depression, burnout and other mental health conditions. For organisations, this can mean increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, higher turnover and more claims from workers. These outcomes carry financial cost and can harm workplace culture and reputation. Lawyers could be eager to test this new legislation on behalf of affected employees.
Supervisor Responsibilities Under the 2025 Regulations
Under the Regulations, employers must eliminate psychosocial risks so far as is reasonably practicable, or where not possible, reduce those risks. Information, instruction, audits, review of processes, and training all form part of risk controls.
Supervisors are essential in early risk identification, consultation with workers and health and safety representatives, and ensuring controls remain effective as work changes. They must monitor risks, encourage reporting, and support control implementation.
Key Practical Tips for Supervisors to effectively manage psychosocial hazards may include;
- Conducting regular risk reviews by analysing incident reports, surveys and absenteeism patterns.
- Promoting open dialogue so employees feel safe to raise concerns early.
- Integrating risk controls into work design and systems rather than relying solely on training.
- Collaborating with health and safety representatives when designing and reviewing controls.
Take Action
If Psychosocial Hazards have not already been addressed then it must be given priority. Psychological health now sits on about equal legal footing with physical health under Victorian law. Enrolling in a Psychological Hazards training program equips supervisors and managers with practical skills to fulfil their duty of care, protect their teams and enhance workplace wellbeing.
At Linq HR, we help organisations cut through workplace complexity, transforming busyness into focused performance through tailored HR and employee relations solutions. Ph 1300134566.
