Psychosocial Hazards - a practical guide for people leaders

Support staff wellbeing. Lead with stability. Build resilient teams in demanding environments.

Overview

Psychosocial hazards are an important workplace health and safety issue – and managers play a key role in recognising and managing them.

This practical workshop helps people leaders understand what psychosocial hazards are, where they can arise in everyday work, and what managers can reasonably do to reduce risk.

Participants will explore common psychosocial hazards such as high job demands, low job control, poor support, unclear roles, poorly managed change, inappropriate workplace behaviours and remote or isolated work. PSH for printing

The workshop focuses on practical leadership action – noticing patterns, acting early, consulting with staff, applying appropriate controls, escalating concerns when needed and reviewing whether actions are working.

As part of the Manage with Confidence program, the session helps managers approach psychosocial risk with the same practical thinking they already apply to other workplace health and safety risks.

Why this course matters

• Build confidence in recognising psychosocial hazards in everyday work
• Understand your role in supporting psychological health and safety
• Identify risks before they escalate or result in harm
• Understand how work design, workload, support and workplace behaviours can create risk
• Take practical and proportionate action within your role
• Know when concerns need to be escalated
• Strengthen psychologically safer ways of working across your team

What participants will learn

• What psychosocial hazards are and how they differ from individual mental health concerns
• Common psychosocial hazards and how they can show up at work
• How to recognise patterns and early warning signs
• The manager’s health and safety responsibilities in identifying and managing risk
• How to consider what is reasonably practicable when responding to a risk
• Practical approaches for reducing or controlling psychosocial hazards
• How work design, workload, role clarity and management practices can reduce risk
• How to have appropriate conversations when concerns emerge
• When to act, escalate, document and follow up
• How to consult with staff and review whether controls are working

Who should attend

•Team Leaders
• Frontline managers
• Coordinators
• Managers supervising housing and community services staff
• People leaders responsible for team workload, work practices or staff support
• Participants in the Manage with Confidence program

Organisational benefits

• Greater manager confidence in identifying and responding to psychosocial risks
• Earlier identification of workplace pressures and emerging risks
• More consistent approaches to managing psychological health and safety
• Stronger consultation and escalation practices
• Improved understanding of how work design and management decisions affect staff
• Reduced reliance on individual wellbeing initiatives as the primary response to workplace risk
• Stronger psychologically safe management practices

What participants will receive

• Practical tools for identifying psychosocial hazards
• A framework for considering and managing psychosocial risk
• Practical approaches for early leadership action
• Conversation prompts for raising concerns appropriately
• Reflection and workplace application activities
• Strategies for deciding when to act, escalate and review

Download the complete program guide here.

Facilitator - Lee-Anne Hunt

Lee-Anne’s passion is in helping others with their personal and professional growth. She has been creating her own vibrant and interactive learning and development workshops for almost 15 years. With a strong focus on supporting leaders in a nurturing and safe environment Lee-Anne helps to create a culture of positive relationships to drive business and personal success.

Outside of work she loves to travel and enjoys a fit and healthy lifestyle.