Jobs where employees have low to no control over the way work is conducted form a hazard to the psychological safety of the person performing the role.

Elements of a job, or the kinds of duties that can create a low job control hazard include: 

• Roles where the worker has little control over the aspects of the work, such as how or when the job is done

• Workers who are given limited ability or autonomy to adapt their work to changing or new situations

• Workers have limited ability to adopt efficiencies in their work

• Highly scripted or machine/computer paced work

• Prescriptive work processes that do not allow workers to apply skills or judgement

• Levels of autonomy that are not matched to the abilities of the worker performing the role

The demands of a job can potentially form a hazard to the psychological safety of the person performing the role. 

Elements of a job, or the kinds of duties that can create a job demand hazard include: 

• Jobs that require intense or sustained high mental, physical or emotional effort

• Unreasonable or excessive time pressures

• High individual responsibility for risks to outcomes around reputation, the law, safety, or financials

• High vigilance required, with a limited margin of error acceptable

• Shift or work hours that do not allow adequate time for sleep and recovery

• Sustained low levels of physical, mental or emotional effort is required of employees

• Long idle periods while high workloads are present – IE work is needing to be done, but can’t be performed due to external factors such as waiting for equipment, more workers etc.

Where a job isn’t given the right level of support or guidance it can form a hazard to the psychological safety of the person performing the role.

Elements of a job or the kinds of duties that can create a poor support hazard include:

• Tasks where workers have inadequate practical assistance in achieving the job

• Duties that the worker performs without adequate emotional support from managers and colleagues

• Duties which the worker hasn’t been given adequate training, tools or resources to achieve

Jobs that are poorly defined or roles that are not given clear duty descriptions can form a hazard to the psychological safety of the person performing them.

Elements of jobs or roles that can create a role clarity hazard include:

• Uncertainty or frequent changes to a role’s description, duties or expectations

• Situations where there are conflicting roles or responsibilities between workers

• Expectations are ambiguous

• There are differences between policy or procedures to the actual way work is performed

Undergoing periods of change in an organisation can be a hazard to the psychological safety of those impacted by the changes. 

Changes could be considered ‘poorly managed’ or a hazard where:

• Changes are made with insufficient or no consultation

• There is inadequate consideration of new hazards or performance impacts when planning and implementing change

• Key information isn’t communicated to workers during the period of change

Not providing enough recognition or reward to workers is a potential hazard to their psychological safety. This hazard can be highly contextual, but generally arises from situations such as: 

• Jobs with low positive feedback or where there is a mismatch between effort and recognition of effort

• Jobs that have high levels of unconstructive negative feedback from managers or customers

• Jobs that aren’t provided skill development opportunity, or underuse a worker’s skills

Poor organisational justice refers to situations where an organisation is not treating its workers in a way that feels fair.

Situations where a hazard to the psychological safety of employees can occur include:

• The inconsistent application of policy or management decisions across the organisation

• Unfair or discriminatory approaches to decision making or policies

• Providing poor procedural justice in handling investigations, complaints, or upholding policies

Exposure to traumatic events or material is inherently hazardous, for guidance responding to a current situation our quick reference page has links to additional supports.

It includes jobs or duties that involve:

• Experiencing fear or extreme risks to the safety of themselves or others

• Exposure to seriously injured, deceased persons or natural disaster scenes

• Reading, hearing, or seeing accounts of traumatic events, abuse or neglect

• Providing support, investigating, or responding to traumatic events, abuse or neglect 

Remote or isolated work poses a hazard to the psychological safety of those performing duties in such settings.

This can include roles or duties that require:

• Long travel times to locations that are remote or isolated

• Worksites or tasks that are performed in areas where access to help or resources is difficult or limited

• Worksites or tasks that are performed in areas where communications are limited or restricted, such as outside of mobile phone coverage

Violence or aggression is always unacceptable in the workplace. For guidance responding to a current situation our quick reference page has links to support resources.

Violence or aggressive behavior form both a physical as well as psychological hazard to those exposed. 

In the psychosocial context violence, threats of violence and aggressive behavior such as yelling or intimidation is hazardous to the psychological safety of those who are either subjected to it or witness it in the course of their work.

Workplace bullying is the repeated behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to their health and safety. It includes bullying by other workers, clients, patients, visitors or any others that a worker interacts with in their job.

This hazard that can impact both the physical as well as psychological safety of those subjected to or witnessing bullying.

Harassment is always unacceptable in the workplace. For guidance responding to a current situation visit our quick reference page.

Harassment is a hazard to the psychological safety of workers. It can take the form of comments, exclusion, or other targeted negative behaviour because of a particular characteristic of a person. This could be a persons age, disability, race, nationality, religion, political affiliation, sex, relationship status, family or carer responsibilities. 

Sexual harassment takes the form of any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours, or other unwelcome behaviour that is of a sexual nature.

Conflict or poor workplace relationships form a hazard to the psychological safety of workers. 

Situations where poor workplaces relationships or interpersonal conflict exists between colleagues, or with other businesses, clients or customers. 

It is generally through frequent disagreements, disparaging or rude comments, or the inappropriate exclusion of someone from work-related activities. 

Environments such as this can be hazardous both to those involved and witnessing such behaviour. It is important to note a worker can both be the subject and the source of such behaviours.

Where a physical environment of work is poor it can form a combination of both a physical hazard as well as a psychological hazard. ‘Poor’ can mean environments that are dangerous or poorly maintained.

This includes circumstances such as spaces that have no natural light, poorly cleaned or maintained, or are otherwise a space that is unsafe to be in.