Employees are under more strain than ever to satisfy the huge demands of work-life balance and financial concerns. 9 out of 10 Australian employees believe it’s essential to work in a psychologically healthy atmosphere, yet just half believe their employers are taking necessary steps to address the leading causes of work-related psychological injuries. Over the years, there has been a noticeable escalation in both the frequency and severity of psychological injuries. According to SafeWork Australia, over the 10 years to 2022-23, the proportion of claims for mental health conditions has increased from 6.4% in 2012–13 to 10.5% in 2022–23. Furthermore, in 2021–22, the median time lost for serious mental health claims was 37 working weeks, which is more than five times the median time lost for all serious claims.
According to SafeWork NSW, over 80 percent of NSW businesses do not have a proactive approach to addressing workplace mental health.
Workplace psychological injury can occur from stress, workload, and performance pressure, but it can also be triggered by workplace bullying and harassment. According to Fair Work, 91 percent of all claims for mental health conditions are connected to work-related stress. One-third of these are caused by job pressure, and 41 percent by bullying, harassment, or exposure to workplace violence. Identifying what causes psychological injury hazard is the first step that could potentially help to mitigate the cause. Here are some steps for coping with psychological injury by intervening early and taking precautions to protect your employees from being ill or suffering from a psychological injury.
Creating a Stress-Reduction Policy
Consider creating a stress prevention and management policy. A stress policy can ideally foster mental well-being at work and reinforce the organisation’s commitment to reducing stress wherever possible. Keep resources readily available for all employees to ensure that stress indications and symptoms are recognised quickly within the team. Educating and mentoring leaders, managers, and HR about the new policies are initiatives that directly contribute to the development of strengths and capacities for raising awareness among employees on how to tackle psychological stress. Communicate the measures you’re taking to improve psychological safety based on their feedback to make employees feel heard and that their ideas are valued.
Improve your Current Health and Wellness Program
Consider incorporating stress prevention topics and activities into your current health and wellness program. Educate employees on the negative impacts of excessive work hours, such as fatigue, loss of concentration, poor performance, deterioration of work-life balance, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. An effective wellness program will not only identify areas for improvement but will also give evidence-based solutions to reduce the effects of stress on the mind and body while enhancing productivity and happiness.
Conduct Reviews and Feedback Surveys
Conducting frequent surveys and gathering data on a monthly, bi-annual, or yearly basis is critical for the business’s performance. It assists managers in identifying areas of stress and promotes higher mental health awareness by identifying employees’ experiences and opinions that are causing work-related psychological stress. According to the 2019 People Management Report, managers who establish psychologically secure work environments had lower employee turnover on their teams.
Educate and Inform New Staff
Consider including stress management training into your new employee induction/orientation program. The induction program is the first procedure that new employees go through, and it is here that the organisation articulates its culture or the way we do things around here. Inform new employees that the business is dedicated to employee well-being and the prevention of psychological stress in the workplace. Training new employees is required to shape the culture workplace, particularly for more conventional soft skills that affect team relationships and communication.
Start a Conversation
Start a conversation about the common sources of stress in your workplace, either with your team or with the management. Make psychological reduction a matter of discussion and an organisational priority. Consult your team while making decisions about their ideas, views, and feedback. Not only will this make employees feel included in decision-making, but it will also foster psychological safety and contribute to better outcomes.
