Linq HR - HR, Employee Relations and HR Tech Insights , Workplace Health & WellbeingLinq HR - HR, Employee Relations and HR Tech Insights , Workplace Health & Wellbeinghttps://www.linqhr.com/blogs/workplace-wellbeingSun, 08 Nov 2026 09:50:47 +1100http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Psychological Hazards at Work: What Supervisors Must Do]]>https://www.linqhr.com/blogs/post/psychological-hazards-at-work-a-critical-responsibility-for-supervisorsVictoria's Psychological Health Regulations 2025 put psychosocial hazards on par with physical risks. What supervisors must identify, control and review.]]>

In brief: Psychosocial hazards are workplace conditions or practices that can cause negative psychological responses, such as work overload, low job control, unclear roles, bullying, poor change management and remote or isolated work. Victoria's Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 require employers, supervisors and managers to identify, assess and control these hazards, eliminating them so far as reasonably practicable. Supervisors must identify risks early, consult workers and health and safety representatives, and build controls into work design, not training alone.

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 1300 234 566.


Further reading:Navigating Employee Workplace Stress and Making the Right to Disconnect Laws Work for Your Business.

]]>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 15:11:36 +1100<![CDATA[ Navigating Employee Workplace Stress]]>https://www.linqhr.com/blogs/post/navigating-workplace-stressThe main sources of workplace stress, from workload and interpersonal conflict to role ambiguity, and practical ways employers can support their staff.]]>

In brief: Workplace stress arises mainly from three sources: workload stress from excessive demands and unrealistic deadlines, which can lead to burnout (Maslach and Leiter, 2016); interpersonal stress from conflict with colleagues or supervisors; and role ambiguity where expectations are unclear. Because people tolerate stress differently, employers should personalise stress management, maintain regular feedback between employees and supervisors, offer wellness programs and a confidential Employee Assistance Program, and use pulse or engagement surveys to identify stress-related disengagement before employees resign.

In today's work environment, unfortunately various levels of stress has become an almost inevitable part of professional life. Employees encounter various types of stressors, each with unique impacts on their mental and physical wellbeing. 

Recognising these stressors and implementing effective coping mechanisms is essential for maintaining a productive workforce.

One prevalent type of stress is workload stress, which arises from excessive job demands and unrealistic deadlines. This can lead to burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion and reduced performance (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). To mitigate workload stress, employers should encourage realistic goal setting and provide resources for time management. They should also check their organisation structures and seek out more effective work flows and eliminating non-productive activities and meetings.

Interpersonal stress is another significant factor, stemming from conflicts with colleagues or supervisors. Such stress can affect team dynamics and employee morale (Einarsen et al., 2011). Promoting open communication and conflict resolution training can help in addressing interpersonal stress effectively. Hiring people with the right personality profile and team fit can assist. Having strong HR support with team dynamics and conflict resolution skills can assist in working with employees to eliminate conflict.

Role ambiguity, where employees are unclear about their job expectations, can also contribute to stress. This uncertainty can lead to job dissatisfaction and decreased motivation (Beehr & Glazer, 2005). Clear communication of roles and responsibilities by management can alleviate this type of stress. At the basic level this can include clear role descriptions, reporting lines and the proper systems and tools in place to support smooth productivity.

It is crucial to acknowledge that individuals possess different stress tolerance levels. What may seem overwhelming to one employee might be manageable for another. This variance highlights the importance of personalized stress management strategies (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Effective feedback loops between employees and their supervisors where stress levels are constantly monitored can assist in levelling out stress levels by making adjustments as work continues.

Employers can support their staff by implementing wellness programs that focus on stress reduction techniques such as mindfulness, exercise, and counselling services. Promoting a healthy worklife balance is helpful as well as having access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program. 

Conducting regular pulse or more comprehensive employee engagement surveys can assist with measuring the levels of employee engagement across the organisation. Areas with lower engagement can often be caused by high levels of employee stress from the long list of possible causes. It provides another opportunity to deep dive and address the root causes before employees become to overwhelmed or decide to resign and leave.

Finally, understanding the diverse stressors employees face and recognising individual differences in stress tolerance are key to fostering a supportive work environment. By adopting proactive measures, organisations can enhance employee wellbeing and productivity. 

Linq HR provides fractional employee relations support to Australian employers and operates Workforce Directory, Australia’s HR services marketplace. Ph 1300 234 566.

Beehr, T. A., & Glazer, S. (2005). Organizational Role Stress. In J. Barling, E. K. Kelloway, & M. R. Frone (Eds.), Handbook of Work Stress (pp. 7-33). Sage Publications.
Einarsen, S., Hoel, H., Zapf, D., & Cooper, C. L. (2011). Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace: Developments in Theory, Research, and Practice. CRC Press.
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Springer Publishing Company.
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Understanding the Burnout Experience: Recent Research and Its Implications for Psychiatry. World Psychiatry, 15(2), 103-111.
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