The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, EU-OSHA, highlights that psychosocial risks and their impact on mental and physical health are among the most challenging occupational safety and health issues in Europe.
Stress, anxiety and depression are among the most common work-related health problems. At the same time, mental health concerns in the workplace are still often seen as an individual issue. In reality, psychosocial risks are closely linked to work organisation, management practices, communication culture and the wider working environment – and they can be prevented and managed in the same structured way as other occupational safety and health risks.
Psychosocial risks may arise, for example, when employees face excessive workloads, unclear expectations, limited influence over how their work is done, lack of support from managers or colleagues, ineffective communication, poorly managed organisational change, job insecurity, or exposure to bullying, harassment or difficult customers.
It is important to distinguish between work that is challenging and motivating, and situations where job demands exceed a person’s actual capacity to cope. In a healthy working environment, employees have sufficient clarity, support, autonomy and skills to perform their work well.
What can employers do?
Preventing psychosocial risks starts with conscious and systematic management. Employers can:
- assess psychosocial risks in the same way as other occupational safety and health risks;
- involve employees and their representatives in identifying risks;
- monitor workloads, deadlines and work organisation;
- ensure clear roles, expectations and responsibilities;
- support open communication and early identification of problems;
- train managers to recognise signs of stress, burnout and conflict;
- respond to bullying and harassment quickly and transparently;
- provide support during change, crises and uncertainty.
Preventing psychosocial risks is not only a sign of a responsible employer. It can also help reduce absenteeism, staff turnover, burnout and the risk of workplace accidents, while supporting organisational performance.
The working environment is also increasingly shaped by wider labour market changes. EU-OSHA’s recent insights on the future of work highlight that labour shortages and the use of artificial intelligence can also affect occupational safety and health. Labour shortages may increase workloads and pressure, while new technologies – such as smart tools, wearable devices, robots or exoskeletons – can support workers, but require careful implementation, risk assessment and employee involvement.
Read more in EU-OSHA materials:
https://osha.europa.eu/en/themes/psychosocial-risks-and-mental-health
More on the future of work, labour shortages and artificial intelligence:
https://osha.europa.eu/en/highlights/future-work-new-insights-labour-shortages-and-artificial-intelligence