Introducing the New Zealand Workplace Barometer Healthy Work Group Tim Bentley, Kate Blackwood, Bevan Catley, Natalia D’Souza, Darryl Forsyth, Dianne Gardner, David Tappin, Zoe Port

The Healthy Work Group Formed in 2009 to undertake an HRC funded project: ‘Understanding and preventing stress and bullying in NZ workplaces’ We adopt a multidisciplinary approach to OHS and wellbeing research (OHSW) Underpinning assumption that the social organisation of work is the primary contributor to OHSW problems and their solutions Recognition of social sustainability as a relevant way to talk about OHSW and psychosocial risk to industry https://www.facebook.com/healthyworkgroup/ 1. To briefly outline my position - I am interested in the nature and quality of work, and its effects on health, wellbeing and performance. My background is PT, then HFE, then organisational studies. In OHS I’ve worked as a consultant, a researcher, and for the last 6 years as an academic. 2. I adopt a ST systems perspective, which considers the wide range of system elements both within and external to organisations, and recognises that these systems are comprised of people with a range of inter-relationships. 3. I’m part of the HWG, a group of 7 academic staff and currently 6 postgraduate students based in Albany & PN. 4. The assumption we make is that the social organisation of work (at workplace, co, ind, national levels) is the primary contributor to OHS problems and their solutions 5. Increasingly we’re incorporating soc sust principles into our research design and our conversations with others. Often we find that the issues and the solutions are similar, so it can increase the reasons that people have for making changes. Later I’ll briefly touch on this again.

What are psychosocial hazards and risk? Psychosocial hazards include aspects of work organisation that are a result of human action and have potential to cause psychological harm. These include job design, the organisation and management of work, and relational factors. Changes in the nature of work have potential to increase the risk of psychological harm to workers. Research indicates that New Zealand workers are highly vulnerable to psychosocial workplace problems, placing a considerable burden on the economic and social wellbeing of society.

What is Psychosocial Risk? risks Biological risks Impairment risks Incapacity risks Two-way relationship Effects of work on health Effects of health on work Physical risks 1. Your HW strategy refers to work-related health to differentiate it from health promotion and wellbeing, and the inclusion of PSR as one of five risk categories is very positive. 2. Just how this will be developed further is unclear however. I’m also not sure what is meant by ergonomic risks! 3. We know that work-related stress is the response people may have when work demands & pressures are not matched to their capab. & thus their ability to cope. 4. However we also know that there are other contributory factors and other potential outcomes that could be involved, and the relationship between them all is not that clear. 5. The most prominent researchers state that PSR and occ stress are linked, but that PSR are not high on many governments policy making agenda and therefore attention often remains on individual outcomes - like stress, and individual risk factors – such as workload. 6. However, there is evidence that PSR are a leading course of lost-time from work and reduced levels of engagement and productivity due to their influence on mental health and depression, psychological distress and absenteeism. EU reports estimate PSR account for as much as 50-60% of all lost time (EU-OHSA), while recent research from Aust also provides strong evidence of the high social and economic costs of a poor PS work environment. Ergonomic risks Chemical risks Mobility risks Sensory risks

The rationale for a national psychosocial risk monitoring system Health and Safety at Work Act requires organisations to ensure the physical and mental health of workers NZ has no comprehensive approach to understanding or preventing psychosocial hazards and risk in New Zealand. Need to understand the influence of psychosocial hazards on individual and organisational outcomes for policy and to focus research and intervention.

NZ Workplace Barometer NZWB will provide longitudinal monitoring and surveillance of exposure to psychosocial risks among a representative sample of NZ workers. NZWB will examine impacts of psychosocial risk on a range of individual and organisational outcomes. The costs of poor psychosocial safety climate can be estimated. PSC risk (low, medium, high) predicts organisational mental health outcomes. Centre for Organisational Health and Development at the University of Nottingham – Prof Stavroula Leka Asia Pacific Centre for Work Health and Safety – Assoc. Prof Michelle Tuckey.

NZ Workplace Barometer tools Level of inquiry Research strategy Methodology Status NZ Workplace Barometer Longitudinal Study National Quantitative Data collection using on-line survey and telephone interviews Implementation of year 1: Feb, 2018 Psychosocial safety culture assessment tool Organisation Qualitative Focus groups (self-assessment) f2f interviews (researcher assessment) Development and implementation: 2018

NZ Workplace Barometer measures Tool Antecedents Mediators/proximal outcomes Outcomes NZ Workplace Barometer Longitudinal Study Psychosocial safety climate Management competencies Workplace bullying Cyber-bullying Work stress Work-family conflict Job insecurity Flexibility Inclusion Depression/mental health Psychological distress Absenteeism Performance Engagement Intention to quit

Management competencies 1. Respectful and responsible Demonstrate integrity Manage emotions Have a considerate approach 2. Manage/communicate existing and future work Manages work proactively Have good problem-solving skills Participate with and empower others

Management competencies 3. Managing difficult situations Managing conflict Uses the organisation’s resources Take responsibility for resolving issues 4. Managing the individual within the team Be personally accessible Be sociable Use empathetic engagement

Potential impact of future forces Future of work Globalisation New organizational forms New ways of working Casualisation of work Growing service sector Demographic shifts Greater workforce diversity Automation of jobs Multiple careers Risks to wellbeing Insecure work Increasing demands and reduced control Reduced meaning in work Interpersonal relationship conflict Work-family conflict Social isolation Reduced support Lack of personal development Potential outcomes Stress and anxiety Depression and mental health concerns Physical health impacts Absenteeism Performance impacts Reduced engagement Reduced staff retention Reputational risks

NZ Workplace Barometer future of work and NZ context Tool Future related factors assessed NZ specific factors NZ Workplace Barometer Longitudinal Study Working remotely Flexible hours Casualisation job security Ageing workforce Maori and Pacifica SME context Multi-cultural diversity Union density

Psychosocial safety culture assessment measures Tool Aspects of psychosocial safety Levels of maturity/advancement Psychosocial safety culture assessment tool (NZWB) Top management commitment and prioritisation Psychological health and safety communication Psychosocial risk reporting Employee involvement Interpersonal relationships Job content Demands and control Career and personal development Generative Proactive Calculative Reactive Pathological

NZWB research model Identific-ation of priority areas for attention National surveillance of psycho-social risk Identific-ation of priority areas for attention Applied research Intervention Healthy Work Group Healthy Work Group, Government and industry stakeholders Healthy Work Group, Research collaborators Government Industry/organisations Healthy Work Group, Research collaborators Centre for Organisational Health and Development at the University of Nottingham – Prof Stavroula Leka Asia Pacific Centre for Work Health and Safety – Assoc. Prof Michelle Tuckey.

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