I've had a long and winding career across WHS, varying Compliance & Regulatory roles, Management Systems, Critical Risk Management, and even as an expert panel member for Auditing Development for JAS-ANZ (Australia/NZ regulators of accreditors and WorkSafe's investigation training foundations). The struggle is real. Add the word 'Compliance' to anything workplace related and it's an instance kiss-of-death. Top level often expect you do 'do safety over there in your department' and tune off. Employees roll their eyes and see you as the 'enforcer' and killer of joy. Buy-in is scant. The battle is up hill. In all directions.

Add to that the endless 'lack of funding', the sometimes all consuming time requirements to manage; training, logging incidents/accidents, implementing, investigating, all while also doing the rest of your job requirements. And the feeling that as soon as you have dealt with one fire, five more have popped up elsewhere meanwhile. All with even more 'no money, 'no time' no buy-in' to make safety life easier. Or more compliant. Because it's often 'why should top level spend even $5 on that' (which makes WHS risk management /compliance more effective) until fines for non compliance are handed out and then it's a hefty 'made available' $5million in litigation defending, fines, correction, unseen wastage, risk and injury already transpired in all that time $5 was saved.

But once you've a full 360 around the whole WHS Safety & Health Compliance, encompassed with all the practical limitations, but also solutions. Life gets a lot clearer. And easier. And you get a lot of your time back. From working smarter. Not harder. You satisfy top level with their interests being served. You are able to support employees much more holistically and robustly, so they are onboard without too much fuss, albeit potentially with a small bridging period in recognition of more effective solutions.

So to make your life easier, here are the key learnings from decades of multifaceted experience. And as the industry's only dual professional across WHS physical safety and psychosocial risk management. A good objective way to lay the correct foundations, Psychosocial Compliance, what can we learn from recent legal findings. And how to elevate WHS to take back management time, elevate top level deliverables and minimise risks to employees. Sustainably.

Psychosocial Compliance, what can we learn from recent findings

what can we learn?

• HR, psychologists is not WHS Risk Management (sorry HR). Risks management is a whole field in itself, with specific requirements ie hazards, risks, risk controls. (Parker Vs BHP case law above), eg 'protective factors' are not risk management
• Why the common HR/psychologist Vs WHS psychosocial risk management requirements? Below:

• Widely applied 'lists of controls' like primary/secondary/tertiary controls, micro, meso, macro controls, leadership training, PD, policies etc. are psychosocial safety. NOT Psychosocial Risk Management for WHS Compliance.

• Psychosocial safety pertains to macro supporting structures that every workplace should have anyway, to simply function. eg policies, leadership training, primary/secondary/tertiary structures etc. (Safework Vs Crown Resorts above)
• Psychosocial safety (HR/psychologist) is a closely related but very distinct with completely different skill set and requirements (and almost always confused), from the requirements of WHS Psychosocial Risk Management ie Hazards, Risks, Risks Controls. All the PsyCon conferences, Adam Grant type speakers, organisational psychologists input; all completely different field and requirements to WHS psychosocial risk management compliance

Psychosocial compliance demystified. Terminology explained

What IS WHS Psychosocial Risk Management Compliance?

• Legal WHS Compliance is to 'Eliminate Risks' (Proactive Risk Management). For everyone, first and foremost, all industries, all countries that has WHS requirements
• Surveys for bullying, job demands, role clarity, rewards, workload etc is reactive risk management and NOT WHS COMPLIANCE. Only good practice GUIDES
• Managing at the 'Eliminate Risks' is significantly advantageous for top exec KPIs, management efficiency and employee support
• Managing at the 'Eliminate Risks' is significantly more so than reactive management (surveys for bullying, job demands, role clarity, rewards, workload etc)

Cheat Sheet Info

Here is a cheat sheet to help 'work smart' as well as make the case you need to, whether above to exec level on 'why' for finances, ROI, risk mitigation, compliance benefits, or employees for 'buy-in' on how it elevates for them. Or for managers to know where to spend their time, energy and focus to optimise effectiveness and efficiency.

Proactive Psychosocial Risk Management cheat sheet, ROI and all around exec, managerial, employee elevation

(Harm Prevention Psychosocial Risk Management with Preventive Risk Controls from CAUSES OF Bullying, job demands, role clarity etc & specific risk management controls)

Vs Reactive Psychosocial Implementation and practical and ROI limitations

(Common 'psychosocial survey & lists of controls' approach to survey Bullying, job demands, role clarity etc survey & too broad policy, training etc controls)

Working hard. Or. Working smart?

The author is the Thought Leader Behind EnableOrg®. The Industry's only Dual Profession with a PhD in Organisational Psychology Meets professional career in WHS Compliance. Expertise Psychosocial Risk Management. For a holistic Compliance, EX People Culture Solution. Human Insights, Proactive Solutions. Maximum Impact. She was an expert speaker at the 23rd World Congress for Health & Safety for Healthy Culture requirements.

EnableOrg® are Leading Experts in Psychosocial Risk Management & Compliance and EX Psychological Wellbeing, Engagement, Mental Health, and Healthy Culture. The only 'Risk Elimination' Harm Prevention for WHS Compliance 'Eliminate Risks' requirements platform.