Psychosocial workload (PSA): what is it and what should you do?

Psychosocial workload (in Dutch: psychosociale arbeidsbelasting, PSA) is the umbrella term for factors in work that can cause stress: work pressure, undesirable behaviour such as bullying, harassment and discrimination, aggression and violence from outside, and work-life pressure. Employers must identify these risks and have a policy to prevent or limit them.

Work-related stress is one of the main causes of absenteeism. Part of it has to do with the way work is organised and how people treat each other. That falls under psychosocial workload. In this article you will read what PSA is, what forms it takes, what you must do as an employer and how a survey helps you discover where things are tight in your organisation.

What is psychosocial workload?

Psychosocial workload is about the strain caused by the content, organisation and social side of work. It is not a diagnosis or complaint, but an umbrella term for risks. Whether those risks lead to stress depends on the balance between what the work demands and what someone can handle, and on the support available.

Under Dutch occupational health and safety legislation, PSA is a fixed part of health and safety policy. Employers must include the risks in their risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E) and take measures to prevent or limit them. The works council also has a role in this.

What forms of PSA are there?

Psychosocial workload consists of a number of forms that often occur together:

• Work pressure. Structurally more work than time, little influence over the work or too little recovery. Read more about reducing work stress.
• Undesirable behaviour. Bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination and aggression between colleagues or from a manager.
• Aggression and violence from outside. For example from customers, patients or visitors. An important risk especially in healthcare, education, public transport and services.
• Work-life balance. When work and private life are hard to combine, for example because of irregular rosters or having to be available at all times.
• Emotionally demanding work. Work in which people deal with grief, suffering or difficult situations.

Why is PSA important?

Long-term psychosocial strain can lead to stress symptoms, overstrain and burnout. That affects the employee first and foremost, but also has consequences for the organisation: absenteeism, turnover, a worse atmosphere and lower-quality work.

On top of that, PSA is often not immediately visible. People who face bullying or harassment do not always say so. And work pressure is sometimes seen as part of the job. That is why it is important to ask about it actively.

What should you do as an employer?

An approach to psychosocial workload usually consists of five elements:

1. Identify the risks. Include PSA in the RI&E and investigate where the risks lie, for example with a questionnaire among employees.
2. Draw up a policy. Record how you prevent risks and what employees can do if something is wrong.
3. Appoint a confidential adviser. Employees must have somewhere to go with confidential complaints about undesirable behaviour.
4. Provide information. Make sure employees and managers know what PSA is, how to recognise signals and where they can go.
5. Evaluate and adjust. Check regularly whether measures work and adjust them where necessary.

Unsure what exactly is expected of your organisation? Then consult your occupational health service or the information from the Dutch Labour Inspectorate.

What is in a PSA policy?

A PSA policy records how your organisation prevents psychosocial workload and what you do if things go wrong anyway. It is not a separate document, but an elaboration of the RI&E and the plan of action. A useful PSA policy usually contains:

• What falls under PSA: work pressure and undesirable behaviour such as sexual harassment, aggression and violence, bullying and discrimination.
• Preventive measures: for example agreements about workload distribution, availability and standards of conduct.
• A reporting procedure: where can employees go, and how is a report handled confidentially?
• Roles and responsibilities: from manager and HR to confidential adviser, prevention officer and company doctor.
• Evaluation: how and when you measure whether the measures work, for example with a periodic PSA survey.

A PSA policy does not need to be long. What matters more is that employees know it and that managers know what is expected of them. That is why you should also discuss the policy with the works council.

How do you map PSA?

A PSA survey is a questionnaire that measures how employees experience psychosocial strain. For example, you ask about:

• the amount of work and the time available to do it;
• the influence employees have on their work;
• support from colleagues and managers;
• experiences with bullying, harassment, discrimination or aggression;
• the balance between work and private life;
• recovery after work and signs of stress.

It is important that the survey is anonymous, so that people dare to answer honestly, especially about undesirable behaviour. Look at the results per team, not only at the organisation-wide average. That is where you see where things are really tight.

With Deepler Research you ask these questions in a short, anonymous questionnaire and see per team where the strain is high. Managers get concrete starting points for the conversation. Also read how an absenteeism survey helps you understand the causes of dropout.

Which measures work?

The best measures match what the survey shows. A few examples per form:

• Work pressure: discussing tasks and priorities in the team, more autonomy, agreements about availability and breaks.
• Undesirable behaviour: clear rules of conduct, an accessible confidential adviser and managers who intervene directly.
• Aggression from outside: training in dealing with aggression, clear protocols and good support after an incident.
• Work-life balance: predictable rosters, room to swap shifts and tailored arrangements where needed.

Measures work best when employees help devise them. They often know best what helps in their situation.

Which signals point to excessive psychosocial strain?

Psychosocial strain often builds up slowly. Signals that may indicate it is becoming too much for a team or an employee:

• more frequent short-term absence, or carrying on working when someone is actually ill;
• more mistakes, forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating;
• irritability, conflicts or a tense atmosphere in the team;
• withdrawing from meetings or less contact with colleagues;
• structural overtime or emails outside working hours;
• less initiative and less enjoyment of work.

One signal does not say much. A combination of signals, or a pattern that persists, is a reason to start the conversation. Ask openly how things are going and what is happening, without immediately offering a solution.

What role does the works council play?

The works council has the right of consent on arrangements concerning working conditions, including the policy on psychosocial workload. The works council can also put the topic on the agenda itself, help design a survey and monitor whether measures are carried out. So involve the works council early, for example when choosing the topics for the questionnaire and when discussing the results. That increases support for the measures that follow.

What is the role of the manager?

Managers are often the first to see signs of overload. Someone withdraws, makes more mistakes or calls in sick more often for short periods. A manager who notices this and starts the conversation can prevent worse.

In addition, the manager largely determines the atmosphere in the team. By communicating respectfully, addressing undesirable behaviour directly and making work pressure open for discussion, the manager shows what is normal. Organisations can support managers in this with training and with insight into how their team is doing.

Discover what drains your energy

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Frequently asked questions

What falls under psychosocial workload?

Work pressure, undesirable behaviour such as bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination, aggression and violence, work-life pressure and emotionally demanding work. These are factors in work that can cause stress.

Is a PSA survey mandatory?

Employers must include psychosocial risks in the RI&E and have a policy to prevent or limit them. How you identify the risks is up to you. A questionnaire among employees is a commonly used method.

What is the difference between work pressure and psychosocial workload?

Work pressure is one form of psychosocial workload. PSA is broader and also includes undesirable behaviour, aggression, work-life pressure and emotionally demanding work.

Who is responsible for tackling PSA?

The employer is responsible for policy and measures. Managers, the confidential adviser, the occupational health service and the works council each have a role. Employees themselves can report signals and help think of solutions.