In today’s professional world, psychosocial risks in the workplace are rightly a major concern.
Performance pressures, excessive workloads, interpersonal conflicts and job insecurity are all factors contributing to the deterioration of employees’ psychological state.
Understanding these psychological risks is an essential step towards preventing them and promoting a healthy working environment. An environment where workers can develop both personally and professionally.
To this end, this article unravels the veil on psychosocial risks in the workplace, shedding light on their origins, their consequences for companies, and the preventive measures to be adopted against them.
Psychosocial risks at work: what are they?
The very first step in the process of preventing psychosocial risks (PSR) in the workplace is to understand the phenomenon and identify it.
Définition
By definition, psychosocial risks in the workplace are threats that extend beyond the physical sphere and affect employees’ mental health.
They emerge from a variety of sources, including employment conditions, the organizational system and interpersonal relations within the company.
Psychosocial risks in the workplace
Several types of psychosocial risk can be distinguished in the workplace. These are :
- Stress arising from the feeling of not being able to meet professional requirements or expectations;
- Internal violence, such as major conflicts, moral or sexual harassment ;
- External violence against employees by people outside the organization;
- Burnout syndrome, characterized by extreme fatigue and disengagement from work.
It should also be noted that these psychosocial risks are not necessarily isolated from one another, but can interact and combine.
What are the main factors behind these risks?
Psychosocial risks and quality of life at work are two concepts that greatly influence each other.
So, to identify the main factors at the root of psychosocial risks, it would be more than appropriate to turn to quality of life at work.
Work requirements
When working conditions are not taken into account are not taken into account, this can result in work demands characterized by :
- Undefined objectives and deadlines, leading to uncertainty;
- Excessive workloads weigh on employees;
- Increased working hours, leading to additional pressure;
- Frequent interruptions.
Emotional demands
In the course of their work, employees may be called upon to manage emotionally demanding situations, such as :
- Complicated exchanges with various interlocutors, requiring skilful management of emotions;
- The need to conceal one’s true feelings in professional interactions;
- The ability to deal with situations of physical or verbal violence in the workplace.
Far fromimprove quality of life quality of life at work, these situations lead to a deterioration that affects workers’ state of health.
Lack of autonomy and room to maneuver
Lack of autonomy is also one of the main factors contributing to the development of psychosocial risks in the workplace. This lack of autonomy manifests itself in :
- Limited room for manoeuvre in carrying out tasks ;
- Time constraints imposed by the pace of work ;
- Poor use of the worker’s skills.
Poor social and labour relations
Psychosocial risks in the workplace can also arise if social and working relationships within the company are not positive.
Indeed, stress, anxiety and even disengagement can be generated among employees as a result of :
- Conflicts ;
- Hostility;
- A lack of communication;
- A lack of recognition for the work we do;
- A lack of solidarity among colleagues;
- Harassment in the workplace.
Insecure working conditions
Finally, the insecurity of the work situation is a significant factor in the emergence of psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Indeed, employees can become anxious when they are preoccupied with situations such as :
- Job stability ;
- Uncertainty about the company’s future;
- Precarious working conditions.
What are the consequences of psychosocial risks in the workplace?
When the employer fails to take precautions through preventive measures that are improved on the basis of different types of feedbackthey expose their employees and their company to the consequences of psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Consequences for employee health
Psychosocial risks in the workplace can have profound repercussions on employee health. The first and most worrying is their impact on mental health.
Workers exposed to chronic stress, constant pressure, conflict or harassment are more likely to develop :
- Anxiety disorders;
- Depression;
- Professional exhaustion syndrome, commonly known as burn-out.
Also, the stakes of good working conditions in the workplace are so high that post-traumatic stress and even suicidal tendencies can result from a stressful working environment.
These risks can also contribute to physical problems. Prolonged stress can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, frequent headaches and weaken the immune system, making it more vulnerable to infection.
It is also possible to observe a worsening or relapse of existing chronic illnesses, due to the impact of stress on the immune system and the body’s ability to manage these pre-existing conditions.
Consequences for the company
If the importance of the customer experience to a company’s prosperity, it’s important to note that employee experience is just as important.
Indeed, when a poor employee experience leads to psychosocial risks in the workplace, it has significant repercussions for the company. These consequences include :
- Increased absenteeism: Workers affected by stress, conflict or burnout are more likely to be absent for mental or physical health reasons, which can disrupt business operations;
- Increased staff turnover: Conflict and stress in the workplace can lead to high staff turnover, forcing the company to devote time and resources to finding and training new employees;
- Lack of compliance with schedules or quality requirements: Stressed or disengaged workers have difficulty meeting work schedules or company quality standards, which can lead to a drop in performance;
- Disciplinary problems: Psychosocial risks in the workplace can also lead to disciplinary problems, affecting team cohesion;
- Reduced productivity: Workers suffering from psychosocial risks at work are far less productive than others, which has a direct impact on company results;
- The occurrence of work-related accidents and incidents: Stressed employees are much more likely to make mistakes or have accidents;
- Deterioration of the social climate: Conflicts and harassment contribute to a poor working climate, undermining cohesion and collaboration within the team;
- Damage to the company’s image: If problems linked to psychosocial risks in the workplace are exposed publicly, this can damage the company’s reputation and its ability to engage and retain employees.
What do you need to know to effectively combat psychosocial risks in the workplace?
Success in the fight against psychosocial risks in the workplace requires awareness of a number of points.
The universality of psychosocial risks in the workplace
To effectively combat psychosocial risks in the workplace, we need to understand that these risks do not discriminate on the basis of personality or individual background.
In reality, anyone, regardless of their personal traits or background, can find themselves confronted with psychosocial risks and suffer their consequences.
Experienced employees and highly committed managers are often the first to feel unwell in a disrupted work environment.
It is therefore vital for employers to remain attentive and avoid underestimating the chances of developing psychosocial risks in the workplace.
The non-existence of “good stress
Stress in the workplace should not be seen as necessary. In fact, it’s very important for employers to make a clear distinction between stress and motivation.
In addition, it’s essential to distinguish between “acute stress” and “chronic stress”, as these two forms of stress have distinct health consequences.
When stress is occasional, properly managed and accepted by the individual, its repercussions can remain bearable within certain limits.
On the other hand, when stress is endured, particularly if it persists over a period of time, we speak of chronic stress. This type of stress exhausts the employee’s body, with detrimental effects on his or her health and causing dysfunction within the company.
The accessibility of measures to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace
To prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace, solutions include reviewing management styles and organization.
The investment in time to understand, listen and discuss psychosocial risk factors and dysfunctions in company operations is the only cost to be borne.
This approach aims to improve working conditions and employee well-being, and has a beneficial long-term effect. It stimulates team commitment, strengthens cohesion and boosts company performance.
What are the principles for preventing psychosocial risks in the workplace?
Article L. 4121-2 of the French Labor Code sets out nine general principles of prevention, which serve as a basis for the employer’s prevention approach.
- Avoiding risks;
- Assess unavoidable risks;
- Combating risks at source ;
- Think about workstation ergonomics;
- Take into account the state of the art ;
- Making work safer;
- Plan prevention actions ;
- Take collective protection measures ;
- Give clear instructions.
In addition to helping to effectively prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace, these principles also contribute to employee loyalty.
