Workplace Risk Assessments

Research suggests that workplace bullying is best prevented and managed from an occupational health and Safety perspective. Workplace Assessments are  recommended as part of a systemic risk management approach in preventing and managing psychological hazards in the workplace such as bullying and harassment, or potential threats from customers and clients.To prevent psychological hazards an organisation needs to identify possible risks that could contribute to bullying, sexual harassment or discrimination.

Workplace Assessments can also be carried out to evaluate potential risks within a team or a workplace that may be contributing to difficulties that employees have returning to work following an injury, or potential risks that could contribute to a psychological injury if not managed properly.

The primary purpose of the Workplace Assessment is to assess potential risks, and recommend strategies to control and manage those risks. A workplace assessment is NOT a formal or factual investigation. As such, formal records of interviews are not required, or kept. Comments in the report are not attributed to individuals, and the assessment focuses on themes and identified risks.

Workplace Assessments can be particularly useful when employees have been off work with a work related psychological injury. These assessments are not about blaming or pointing the finger, but assist in identifying possible background or systemic factors that may have contributed to the injury and could impede a safe return to work.

A Workplace Assessment helps you to identify areas within your organisation where potential risks may be present. If you are not aware of these risks how can you take action to manage them?

Once identified, recomendations can be made in relation to how these risks can be managed. Recomendations may incude staff or management training in specific areas identified as risky (such as the way some staff carry out recruitment, performance management, conflict management or the leadership styles of some managers ). A risk assessment might also indicate that you need to further develop or update some policies, or that staff and managers receive training in conflict management or their rights and specific responsibilities in relation to psychological hazards.

If you receive complaints of bullying or harassment, or if an employees has made a claim for psychological injury, or is having diffiulty returning to work, there may be uncontolled risks in your workplace. Let Aboto assist you to identify these and reccomend specific measures to manage them.