Real threats to the physical and mental health of employees, psychosocial risks can take different forms in companies: stress, burn-out, harassment, etc. Discover in this article what is hidden behind the term “psychosocial risks”, the different steps to limit them, as well as the consequences of a lack of prevention for your company.
What are psychosocial risks?
Definition of psychosocial risks
Psychosocial risks (PSR) are all risks to the physical, mental and social health of employees. They are caused by employment conditions as well as by organizational and relational factors.
All businesses are affected by these risks, regardless of their size and sector of activity.
The different types of psychosocial risks
The Ministry of Labor recognizes four types of RPS:
- Stress. It can be linked to overwork, too high a level of demand, lack of resources or pressure from the hierarchy.
- Violence within the company. This includes all conflicts, but also moral or sexual harassment.
- Violence external to the company. These are insults, threats or attacks against employees by people outside the company.
- Professional exhaustion syndrome, or burn-out. It is characterized by physical, emotional and cognitive overwork, generally leading to the need to stop all professional activities.
Psychosocial risk factors
The Gollac report indicates 6 main psychosocial risk factors:
- The intensity of missions and working time, especially when the maximum working time or break times are not respected.
- The poor quality of social relationships, in particular between employees and their line managers. A lack of recognition often leads to frustration and a deterioration of social relationships.
- Value conflicts between workers and the missions that are entrusted to them.
- The lack of autonomy and room for manoeuvre, which lead to the underuse of employee skills.
- Emotional demands, including stress and fear caused by the strong pressure exerted by management on employees.
- The insecurity of the work situation, in particular changes in the conditions of the employment contract (reduction in the number of hours, risk of job loss, etc.)
These 6 factors can lead to psychosocial risks for employees, so it is important to take them into account.
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How to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace?
To prevent PSR in business, you must complete three steps: risk assessment, development of an action plan and finally the implementation and monitoring of defined operations.
Step 1: assess the sources of psychosocial risks in the company
This first step aims to understand the psychosocial risks to which your employees are exposed. The approach is the responsibility of the employer, in consultation with the various actors in the company, in particular the social partners. The employer must then draw up a single occupational risk assessment document (DUERP).
Several organizations can help the company to carry out this process:
- the Carsat/Cramif/CGSS prevention service on which the company depends;
- the occupational health and prevention service;
- a specialized consulting firm.
Setting up a QWL barometer is also very interesting for concretely identifying the various factors of RPS in a company.
Step 2: Develop an action plan
Once PSRs are clearly identified, the company must establish an action plan, with a schedule and deadlines.
The actions defined must respond to all the risks identified, for example:
- adapting the pace of work and adapting schedules to respect rest periods;
- The reorganization of the workspace ;
- the reduction of productivity requirements and a more equitable distribution of tasks;
- the implementation of support adapted to the needs of each employee.
Finally, specific RPS training courses can be planned for employees, managers and members of management. They make it possible to better understand this important subject and to act more effectively against risks.
Step 3: Set up the action plan
Finally, it is time to execute the defined plan. If the employer is responsible for implementing the actions, he may well designate one or more persons in charge of this task.
It is important that human and financial resources are allocated so that actions are feasible and can last over time. It is also essential to set a time objective and to regularly monitor the results of the operations implemented.
What are the consequences of a lack of prevention for the company?
Very concretely, a company that does not implement PSR prevention measures risks seeing its productivity drop and being sanctioned by the competent authorities.
An overall drop in productivity
When psychosocial risks are high within a company, this inevitably induces stress for employees. Insecurity and overwork can also lead to widespread exhaustion. These factors logically cause a drop in productivity in the company.
Keep in mind that stress and exhaustion cause a significant absenteeism rate, which is also unfavorable to good overall business productivity.
Sanctions from the authorities
Finally, protecting the mental health of workers is simply a legal obligation for employers (article L.4121-1 of the Labor Code).
Penalties are provided for non-compliance. For example, if the DUERP does not exist or is not accessible to all employees, the fine can be up to €1,500, or even €3,000 if there is a repeat offense. Damages may also be requested by employees who have suffered harm.
Psychosocial risks in companies must be assessed and measures must be taken to prevent them. This is essential both for the physical and mental integrity of employees, but also for the health of the company. The challenges are important: in fact, the prevention of PSR makes it possible to reduce other occupational risks. This can limit workplace accidents related to fatigue, fatigue, and loss of concentration. Implementing preventive measures is therefore beneficial for all employees and for the company.
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