ACU Teacher Survey: Investigating Workplace Bullying and Psychosocial Hazards
We need your help to better understand teacher exposure to psychosocial hazards
Teaching like many professions has its fair share of inherent stressors. Recent pressures on teacher workforce, increases in challenging behaviour and administrative burden due to increased accountability are indicators that these stressors have become more acute.
Psychological injury now accounts for approximately one third of all workers compensation claims received by insurers (SafeWork Australia). It is no longer enough for employers to focus solely on physical safety.
The Commonwealth Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 has always had provision for workplace psychological safety. However, the 2018 review of the Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws identified gaps in how psychosocial risks were being identified and managed.
This led to recommendations for more explicit requirements in WHS Regulations nationwide. These new regulations came into effect in South Australia on 25 December 2023. The change in legislation brings clarity on how employers must manage psychosocial risks, underscoring that mental health is just as important as physical safety in the workplace.
Psychosocial hazards are anything that could cause psychological harm (e.g. harm someone’s mental health). Psychosocial hazards in schools can stem from a variety of sources, each with the potential to cause significant harm if not properly managed.
These hazards include excessive demands, low job control, poor support from colleagues or management, and a lack of role clarity. These all, contribute to heightened stress levels.
Factors such as poor organisational change for new initiatives, inadequate reward and recognition, and a sense of unfairness within the workplace can further exacerbate mental strain.
Teachers often face additional risks such as direct or vicarious exposure to traumatic events, working in isolated conditions such as your classroom, or enduring poor physical environments.
On top of this, teachers can be witness to violence, aggression and subject to bullying by parents and students. Research suggests that increased psychosocial hazard exposure can also lead to harassment, or conflict between staff. This can have devastating effects on mental health and well-being.
While we see anecdotal accounts in mainstream and social media of increase demands, there is limited hard evidence to support whether these demands are widespread.
Even though we have new legislation, we understand that change takes time. However, we want to ensure that efforts targeting teacher exposure to psychosocial hazards are targeting the right stressors. Schools and systems may offer a range of provisions in enterprise agreements, changes to workloads and teacher wellbeing programs but are these enough to address the root causes of psychosocial injury?
You can help by sharing your insights. Please complete our short survey. In doing so you will be contributing to better understanding of the prevalence, nature, and impact of psychosocial hazards on Australian teachers.
Dr. Matthew White
Australian Catholic University
