Mitigating psychosocial hazards and building a productive, thriving workforce

Managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace and enhancing employee wellbeing is critical to both meet your legislative requirements and to drive organisational performance.

As the importance of employee wellbeing gains increasing recognition from governments, employers and employees, there is no better time to review your organisation’s approach and unlock the benefits of a productive, thriving workforce.

How BDO can help

No matter what support you require, our multidisciplinary team offers a holistic range of support services that will build wellbeing within your workplace. These include:

Psychosocial risk management
Strategic and advisory support
High-performance teams programs
Competency frameworks and training needs analysis
Capability development programs
Culture and change projects.

Why is workplace wellbeing important?

Legal requirements

In 2022, updates were made to the Work Health and Safety Act to include specific new regulations to manage psychological risks in the workplace. Employers now must proactively assess these risks and implement effective controls to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Failing to do so can result in:

Financial penalties
Legal consequences
Employee claims
Damage to reputation.

Enhancing organisational performance

Beyond legal compliance, having a proactive plan to manage psychosocial hazards and improve workplace wellbeing also has numerous benefits which are essential to lasting business success.

Boost	Reduce
Organisational performance Employee engagement and retention Productivity Innovation Reputation.	Legal and insurance costs Physical health issues Job dissatisfaction High burnout rates Absenteeism/presenteeism Turnover.

3 out of 4

Employees indicated they’d be more likely to stay if a company offered quality mental health resources.

$2.18 AUD

The return on investment per dollar spent three years after a Workplace mental health initiative is enacted.

$10.9b per year

The total cost to Australian employers of untreated mental health conditions.

36.9%

Increase in serious workers’ compensation claims due to mental health conditions from 2017 to 2022.

Why choose BDO to drive workplace wellbeing?

When building a productive, thriving workforce and mitigating psychosocial hazards, it is critical you partner with a team that has the right skills, experience and passion to support your people and collaborate with you.

BDO’s experience, passion and dedication allows us to be a trusted part of your team and to drive positive change in your workplace.

Our expertise

We deliver tailored advice: No one solution fits the unique environment of every business. Our experience shows that co-designing strategies with our clients leads to better outcomes, by tailoring approaches to their unique environment and fostering shared ownership.
We leverage our multidisciplinary team: We are a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, people and culture specialists, WHS experts and experienced business consultants. Together, we bring valuable insights and experience used to enhance psychosocial well-being across your organisation.
We are trusted by our clients: Our friendly and down-to-earth approach ensures that every interaction we have with your stakeholders makes them feel safe, heard and understood. Through our connections and conversations, we will build trust in the project from day one.

The key elements of a mentally healthy workplace

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Inclusion

Fosters equal opportunities, tailored resources and healthy relationships.

Positive workplace culture

Enhances team wellbeing and psychological safety.

Aligned operating model

Prioritises employee wellbeing in policies, processes, and systems.

Education and capability

Builds a safe work environment to foster employee well-being and success.

Strategy, risk management and continuous monitoring

Protects employees and enables proactive responses.

Leadership

Shapes the way mental health is valued, perceived and prioritised.

Our services

BDO offers a comprehensive range of services designed to both protect and empower your employees and your organisation. Regardless of the hazards or challenges identified, our multidisciplinary team brings a well-rounded perspective and targeted expertise to support and strengthen psychosocial wellbeing in your workplace.

Psychosocial risk management

Involves the identification of hazards and assessment of risks in your organisation, driving actionable interventions to ensure a safer workplace.

Strategic and advisory support

Strengthens operational effectiveness by unlocking opportunities for improvement. We also offer expert guidance to navigate complex people matters with confidence and clarity.

High-performance teams programs

Use targeted workshops and coaching to equip organisations with the strategies, skills and mindset to foster collaboration, trust, and accountability.

Competency frameworks and training needs analysis

Defines essential skills, knowledge and behaviours required for success in an organisation and identifies the gap between current and required skills.

Capability development programs

Builds abilities in leadership, mental health, psychological safety, legislative awareness and respectful workplace behaviour.

Culture and change projects

Leverages frameworks to define the target state culture and transform organisational mindsets and behaviours, fostering agility, resilience, and a high-performing workplace.

Frequently asked questions

Who is affected by the model Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations, and what is their role?

Under the WHS Act, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) has the primary duty of care to ensure the health and safety of the workplace.

According to the model WHS regulations, a PCBU must eliminate workplace psychosocial risks or minimise them so far as is reasonably practicable. They must also maintain, review and - if necessary - revise implemented control measures to maintain a work environment without risks to health and safety.

Comcare defines PCBU as a term that relates to an organisation or person who is more commonly known as ‘the employer’. For example, a PCBU may be a company, an association, a sole trader or a self-employed person.

What are psychosocial hazards?

According to Safe Work Australia, a psychosocial hazard is an element in the workplace, or a specific work situation, that has the potential to cause serious psychological or physical harm.

Common psychosocial hazards at work include:

Job demands
Poor physical environment
Traumatic events or material
Lack of role clarity
Poor change management
Remote or isolated work
Conflict and poor workplace relationships
Low job control
Inadequate reward and recognition
Poor organisation justice and support
Violence, bullying and harassment.

How do I best manage psychosocial risks in the workplace?

There is no one size fits all solution when it comes to managing psychosocial risks in the workplace. Industry, culture, job design, and a variety of other factors that vary from workplace to workplace may lead to psychosocial hazards that require unique and tailored interventions. What works for one business, may not necessarily work for another.

Being familiar with the relevant legislation and your obligations as an employer or PCBU is essential and Safe Work Australia has a number of useful resources on managing psychosocial risks at work.

A specialised provider of psychosocial wellbeing services will work with you to understand the unique challenges of your workplace and build a tailored approach to managing and – wherever possible – eliminating psychosocial risks. Contact our team to find out how we can help.

What legislation covers psychosocial hazards?

Safe Work Australia has developed, and is responsible for maintaining, the national model WHS laws. These include the model WHS Act, model WHS regulations and model Codes of Practice. However, the Commonwealth, states and territories are separately responsible for implementation and enforcement.

As such, the legislation pertaining to psychosocial hazards varies on a state-by-state basis:

NSW: Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017
VIC: Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
QLD: Work health and Safety (Psychosocial Risks) Amendment Regulation 2022
WA: Work Health and Safety Act 2020
SA: Work Health and Safety (Psychosocial Risks) Amendment Regulations 2023 under Work Health and Safety Act 2012
TAS: The Work Health and Safety Regulations 2022
ACT: Work health and Safety Act 2011
NT: Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011.

Contact our team to discuss your needs using the request for service form.
Alternatively, call 1300 138 991 to speak with an adviser in your nearest BDO office.