Stress occurs when the demands of our job exceed our available skills and resources.
Our research shows that your workm8tes want challenging tasks to maintain motivation and develop new skills. But they also need to be able to cope.
Work-related factors are anything in the design or management of work that can positively or negatively impact worker stress that can in time lead to an injury.
Work-related factors that are seen to be demands, negatives or hazards that can increase stress.
Positive work-related factors (or job attributes) can offset the negatives and lower stress.
Some hazards might always be present at work, while others only occasionally.
Work-related factors cover the type of work, the worker themselves, and the workplace culture and the physical work environment. They include both physical and psychological risks.
Stress is interconnected and cumulative
Physical and psychosocial risks are connected.
A physical risk doesn’t mean a physical injury and vice versa.
Workers who feel unsafe due to physical hazards are at risk of developing work-related stress and injury. Just as workers who experience high psychosocial hazards have a higher risk of musculoskeletal disorders, as their concentration and decision-making abilities can be affected leading to slower reaction times and clumsy work.
It all adds up.
There is a greater risk of stress when work-related factors combine and act together to have a bigger negative impact. Work-related factors should not be considered in isolation. They should be considered together and in context.
Work-related risk factors
Work-related factors are the elements or attributes of work that contribute to worker stress, that left unaddressed can over time turn into a physical or mental injury.
Psychosocial work-related factors
Cognitive / Mental Job Demands | Emotional Job Demands | Low Job Control |
Low Role Clarity | ​Low Recognition & Reward | Poor Workplace Relationships |
Poor Support | Poor Organisational Change Management | Poor Organisational Justice |
Physical work-related factors
Physical Job Demands | Poor Environmental Conditions | Remote or Isolated Work |
Manual & Repetitive Handling | Slips, Trips & Falls | Hazardous Materials |
Fatigue | Shiftwork | Violent or Traumatic Events |
Substance Abuse / Misuse | ​ | ​ |
Depending on the type of work being done not all job demands can be prevented, removed or controlled. When looking to address work-related risks like job demands, follow the hierarchy of control to maximise effectiveness of your actions. When demands cannot be prevented, we can use additional positive actions at both the workm8te and workplace level to help offset the negatives of the job.
But we’re going to level with you – workplace interventions are more effective and lead to longer lasting change.
It is about getting the balance between demands and resources right at the worker and workplace level. This is done through good job design and workplace prevention and intervention.
Explore each work-related factors (WRF) in more detail, learn about how they show up in your workm8tes and what actions you can take to remove, reduce or control their impact either by prevention or mitigation.
Download the full suite of work-related factor descriptions and actions here.
Know what factors impact your workm8tes & take action
Understanding your workplace's risks and the work-related factors that impact your workm8tes is the first step to tackling the causes of workplace stress. Use the free online Workplace Risk Assessment tool to identify the work-related factors present in the work your team or workplace does that place your workers at a high-risk of harm, and get a tailored, prioritised list what preventative actions and mitigations you can take to address them.
Not convinced? Take a look at this overview and business case - and make the case to your get your leadership team onboard.
Get on the front foot
Prevent workplace stress through good job design. Prevent workplace stress through good job design. Good job design removes, reduces, and minimises the work-related factors that cause workplace stress, and amplifies the parts of a job that are positive and fulfilling.
Find out what makes a good job, and take our online job assessment to see how your jobs measure up, and get a tailored action plan to create better, stress free jobs.
It starts with you
Create better outcomes for your work and workm8tes.
We’ve got the tools for you to create a stress-free, safe and thriving workplace.
These tools are informed by extensive research and designed by workers in manufacturing to support you and your workm8tes.
For Senior Management & HR/WHS Managers | For Supervisors & Direct Managers |
It all starts with you. Change comes from the top. Visible commitment from senior management, HR and work, health and safety managers is key to creating a thriving, safe and productive workplace. Your actions set the tone of what is to follow. Own your responsibilities and create a safe and productive workforce. Know what you have to do, and get the resources to help you deliver. | It's in your hands. You are the most important influencer of your workm8tes' wellbeing and performance. You have a key role in preventing work-related stress - as you have the greatest impact on their day-to-day wellbeing, and you are in the best position to notice when a workm8te might be struggling. Big responsibility sure, but you don't need big shoulders for this one. You have all the tools you need to master this right here. Together we've got this. |