Factors that impact mental health

Key information

• There are common factors that can impact mental health at work but the factors can also vary depending on your business or industry.  
• Your team can be impacted by workplace factors no matter their role. 
• Businesses have a legal obligation to proactively assess and manage these factors to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.  
• There are major benefits to the business bottom line as well as employee satisfaction by being a mentally healthy workplace.
• Our research has led to informed decisions into workplace factors.

Definition

Workplace risk factors are related to the way work is designed or managed. They can increase the risk of you or your workers developing mental ill-health. 

There are actions you can take to manage these factors.

It may take many or just a few factors to impact mental health in your workplace. 

Learn more about some common workplace factors and what actions you can take to protect your workers. 

Top factors

These factors can increase the risk of work-related stress.

Workers may be affected by more than one factor at a time.  

Excessive demands, low control

What it is: When workers have a high-demand job but feel they have limited ability to make decisions about how and when they do their work. 

What to do:

• create clear job descriptions - use the job description resource in our guide to supporting role clarity
• monitor workload - see our one on one conversation guide for leaders for ways to ask about workload
• support flexible work
• good work design

SafeWork NSW has more tips to reduce work-related stress.

Lack of support

What it is: When workers feel unsupported by management or their team. 

What to do:

• create a positive and inclusive culture - use our guide to building workplace culture

• attend mental health training, and 

• support co-workers

Low recognition

What it is: When workers are not recognised or rewarded for their efforts, they are almost twice as likely to experience mental ill-health.  

What to do:

• give positive feedback - see our one on one conversation guide for leaders for examples of how to give feedback

• recognise and reward workers for individual and team accomplishments

• promote career development opportunities

Poor change management

What it is: Poorly managed or communicated organisational change such as a restructure or a change in workload. 

What to do:

• keep staff involved and informed 
• provide opportunities for consultation and feedback

Job uncertainty

What it is: When workers feel insecure in their job or uncertain about their future at work, it can increase the risk of mental ill-health by up to 30%.  

What to do:

• manage expectations 
• have good change management strategies

Unfair work practices

What it is: When workers believe others are given special treatment. 

What to do:

• ensure procedures are unbiased, consistently applied, and open to appeal 

• listen to worker concerns and allow them to request more information if needed

• regularly review the effectiveness of procedures to ensure they are meeting their objectives

• provide practical support to workers

Unclear job descriptions

What it is: When workers are unsure of what is expected of them in their day-to-day role or who they report to. 

What to do:

• create clear job descriptions - use the job description resource in our guide to supporting role clarity. 
• monitor workload - see our one on one conversation guide for leaders for ways to ask about workload

Workplace conflict and violence

What it is: When workers experience rudeness and social rejection at work, this is workplace conflict. If the behaviour is ongoing, it can become bullying (see below).

Work-related violence is any incident where someone is abused, threatened or assaulted at work. This needs to be addressed immediately.  

What to do:

• have clear policies that outline unacceptable behaviour 
• have a process in place for reporting incidents

Bullying

What it is: Bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards an individual or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety.

What to do:

• create a positive and inclusive culture with zero tolerance for bullying

• establish an anti-bullying policy

• have a process for reporting and investigating incidents

More about bullying 

Your business has a legal obligation to provide a safe environment, free of bullying, discrimination and harassment.

Everyone at work can help ensure that bullying does not occur. 

Workplace bullying includes repeated behaviour like abusive or humiliating comments, aggression or unjustified criticism and complaints. Discrimination and harassment are also behaviours that contribute to bullying. 

Make sure your workplace has zero tolerance for bullying and a workplace anti-bullying policy that is promoted by your leadership and understood by everyone.

There needs to be a clear process for bullying to be reported and investigated.

Additional resources

• Don’t have a policy? Get a free template.  
• Find out what SafeWork NSW can do.
• Need urgent support? Find support services. 

Free online tools

These online tools can help managers comply with health and safety duties, better manage hazards and prevent psychological harm.  

• The Workplace Pulse Check gives you a quick, confidential assessment of how mentally healthy your workplace is in five minutes.
• The Workplace Wellbeing Assessment surveys your staff so you can confidentially learn how well your organisation is managing areas important to workplace mental health, like leadership and culture. It also gives you recommended actions to improve your workplace, based on your results.
• People at Work surveys your staff so you can see your organisation's level of risk for common psychological hazards, like bullying and harassment. It can help you manage these risk factors.