How to Manage Psychosocial Risks in the workplace -- Ep. 33

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Jason van Schie, a psychological Health and Safety expert, qualified psychologist, podcaster and Managing Director of People Diagnostix - a health technology company.

Jason explains that psychosocial risk covers anything in the design or management of work causing employees stress e.g. ongoing unreasonable deadlines or witnessing a traumatic accident.

Safety professionals are given a brief history of workplace mental health awareness - which is now being taken much more seriously and thankfully focuses on prevention rather than cure. Jason explains the key reasons behind this shift in approach and shares the benefits of managing psychosocial risk.

A new standard, ISO 45003, implies that mental health should be managed like any other health and safety risk. Jason reviews this standard and explores what this means for the safety profession. He suggests that HSE professionals should take the lead in psychosocial risk assessment - so workplace mental health isn’t confined to HR.

Jason provides practical guidance on how to monitor and manage psychosocial hazards, with a strong focus on utilizing technology and keeping things simple.

You may be relieved to hear Jason doesn’t believe EHS professionals need to become psychologists(!) - but he does advocate the development of compassion.

Jason’s Psych Health and Safety Podcast:
Psych Health and Safety Podcast

The 45003 Academy - where you can access free resources to understand and adopt the global ISO 45003 standard:
ISO 45003:2021 Psychological health and safety at work FREE resources training pdf

Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice recommended by Jason:
Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work | Safe Work Australia

Jason’s health technology company, People Diagnostix:
FlourishDx - Psychological Health, Safety and Wellbeing Software

Jason van Schie on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonvanschie

Safety Labs is created by Slice, the only safety knife on the market with a finger-friendly® blade. Find us at www.sliceproducts.com

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]

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TABLE OF CONTENT

0:00 Intro
02:16 A brief history of workplace mental health awareness
04:08 Prevention is better than cure
04:32 The definition of psychosocial risk
05:44 What activities or systems comprise psychosocial risk management
07:04 The benefits of managing psychosocial risk
10:55 Investor expectations are rising
12:14 Leaders have a low understanding of psychosocial risks
14:20 The difference between psychological safety and psychosocial risk
16:44 Was ISO 45003 a completely new standard?
17:30 How is ISO 45003 helpful?
19:30 The flexibility and structure of ISO 45003
20:48 Where does psychological health and safety management sit within an organization?
22:30 Safety professionals don’t need to become psychologists!
23:04 Has ISO 45003 missed any opportunities?
25:31 Recent reforms in Australian workplace Health and Safety regulations
29:51 Psychological health and safety adoption across the world
31:45 How do safety professionals monitor psychosocial risk
38:38 Simple - rather than academic - tools to measure psychological health and safety
40:41 How machine learning can help psychosocial risk management
42:01 Where to start with managing workplace mental health
44:45 The importance of compassion in safety management
46:09 Don't be afraid of trying something new
48:50 How to learn more about psychological health and safety