What is a psychosocial risk assessment

What Is a Psychosocial Risk Assessment?

‍(And how to do it without overcomplicating things)

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A psychosocial risk assessment is a legal requirement under WHS laws and a practical step to protect mental health at work. View an interactive walkthrough of Skodel's Psychosocial Risk Assessment Process.

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It follows a clear process:

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1. Identify → 2. Assess → 3. Control → 4. Review

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Importantly: this must be done in consultation with the workforce for it to be valid. That means asking the workforce for their input on things. This model is outlined in Comcare’s Code of Practice for managing psychosocial hazards at work.

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1. Identify

Spot the hazards. Comcare has 17 hazards in their Code of Practice, such as job demands, poor support or harassment

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How to do it simply:

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• Short, anonymous surveys focusing on known hazards (e.g. job demands, low support, conflict). HERE is an example survey
• Team discussions or toolbox talks
• Exit interviews and incident reports

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Keep it short. Keep it focused. Using the hazards in the model code can make it simpler.

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2. Assess

Work out which hazards are most serious based on how often they occur and the level of impact staff report them having.

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How to do it easily:

• Look at how often a hazard comes up
• Consider how harmful it could be
• Identify which teams or roles are most exposed

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Use a simple matrix: likelihood x consequence.

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3. Control

Take action to reduce the risk. Your survey should ideally give you insights into potential control suggestions from staff.

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How to do it easily:

• Remove the hazard if possible (e.g. unclear roles → provide clearer job descriptions)
• Reduce the impact (e.g. workload → stagger deadlines)
• Improve support (e.g. better communication, regular check-ins)

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Start with one or two small, visible improvements. Don’t try to fix everything at once.

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4. Review

Check if your actions are working, and adjust as needed.

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How to do it easily:

• Revisit your survey or feedback tool every 6–12 months
• Ask workers if they’ve noticed a difference
• Track relevant indicators (turnover, complaints, leave)

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Make it part of regular safety and HR reviews.

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Addressing Common Concerns

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“What about survey fatigue?”

→ Keep it short, relevant, and explain the purpose. People are more engaged when they see action taken afterward.

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“We’re not mental health professionals.”

→ That’s okay. You’re managing workplace risks, not providing therapy.
→ It’s about ensuring there is a safe system of work, not diagnosing individuals.

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“We don’t have the resources.”

→ You don’t need a big team or budget to ask the workforce how things are going and make some meaningful changes if required.
→ Small changes (like clearer roles and realistic deadlines) can have a huge impact.

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“What if staff say things we can’t fix?”

→ That’s okay, you don’t have to fix everything (it is about doing what is practicable)
→ Acknowledge the issue, explain constraints honestly, and involve staff in identifying what can be done.
→ It’s better to show you listened and tried, than ignored it altogether.

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“What if it opens a can of worms?”

→ Avoiding the issues doesn’t make them go away, it makes them riskier.
→ Structured, confidential assessments help you surface problems early, before they escalate into claims or resignations.

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“We already have an EAP – isn’t that enough?”

→ EAPs are helpful, but reactive.
→ A risk assessment is preventative as it tackles the root causes of stress, not just the symptoms.

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Essentially, a risk assessment is about listening to your people and taking small steps based on their feedback if necessary.

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