Some situations are so much a part of our daily lives that it doesn’t occur to us to question them. A workload that’s always too heavy, not enough support, not enough leeway to make certain decisions, repeated exposure to difficult situations: all of these factors may be viewed as normal in some workplaces. But that doesn’t mean they’re not associated with risk.
INTANGIBLE RISKS, REAL CONSEQUENCES
Psychosocial risks at work are related to the organization of work, to work relations, and to working conditions. They can be difficult to identify because they’re not always visible. But their impact on health and well-being is very real: they may lead to stress, exhaustion, anxiety, burn-out, or loss of motivation. Learning to recognize them is the first step in being able to name and prevent them.
Your workload is too heavy
Do you always have more work than you could possibly do given the time and resources available to you? Does your caseload keep getting bigger? Are you always working in emergency mode? Do you feel that you never have time to breathe?
An excessive workload is a psychosocial risk factor. When staffing or resources are insufficient, the amount of work expected of you may be greater than what you can reasonably carry out.
Your professional autonomy is limited
You have almost no control over how your work is organized, how your priorities are defined, or how you might adapt your methods to situations as they arise. Even when dealing with an emergency or an unexpected event, you have virtually no leeway. Sound familiar?
Lack of autonomy can be a risk factor when it prevents workers from having appropriate control over the organization of their work, their methods, or their schedule.
You have to deal with emotionally difficult situations
When you accompany people who are in distress, and you have to remain calm and professional as you deal with their pain or anger, you experience a high degree of emotional pressure.
If your work involves frequent exposure to difficult situations or forces you to constantly control your own emotions, that can be a risk for your health. Among other things, it can lead to compassion fatigue.
Your work exposes you to violent situations
Service users behaving aggressively, putdowns, frequent conflicts, constant tension – violence at work can take many forms, whether psychological or physical, and it can come from a wide range of people.
As time goes by, you may be tempted to say that “it’s part of the job”. But these situations are a source of risk that needs to be acknowledged and addressed. Prevention mechanisms are intended to cover psychosocial risks related to violence (including sexual violence).
You don’t have access to the support you need
Do you have to deal with difficult situations without being able to count on the help you need? Do your efforts go unseen? Does your work often go unrecognized?
Support and recognition are important. When the work you do is not acknowledged or valued, when your efforts are not recognized, that can be a factor contributing to psychosocial risk in the workplace.
You’re note alone
Protecting your health and safety is your employer’s responsibility, first and foremost, and they are legally required to take any measures necessary to ensure that you are protected. Psychosocial risks are not individual problems to which you should adapt: they must be fully addressed as part of a prevention strategy.
Need help?
Your local APTS team is there to accompany you when a situation raises concerns at work. If you tell them what you’re experiencing, they can support any steps you take and help you identify what you can do. You don’t have to get used to working conditions that negatively affect your health. Talk about it.
Keep in mind
There are several ways for you to report troubling situations and help prevent them.
The Act respecting occupational health and safety says that your employer has to develop and implement a prevention program. This program must detect and analyze risks that are present in your workplace, including psychosocial risks, and identify measures to eliminate or control them. You can help develop this program and make it better. It is supposed to evolve over time, and your employer is required to upgrade it at least once a year.
The health and safety committee is made up of people representing workers and the employer. It helps identify risks that are present in the workplace, recommends measures to correct and control them, and strengthens the prevention program through its recommendations to the employer. If there’s a situation you’re worried about, talk to the people representing you on this committee. It’s their job to let the committee know about suggestions and requests from employees.
Your health and safety representative plays a liaison role between you, the health and safety committee, and the employer. This person helps identify risks and situations that may be hazardous and makes recommendations to the health and safety committee, including recommendations about psychosocial risk. Are you worried about something? Don’t hesitate to bring it up with them.
