Persistent challenges for Aussie workplaces in the next 10 years

A recent report has highlighted the persistent challenges that the Australian workplace will face in the coming decade, which will require a variety of approaches to solve.

The Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2023–2033 Baseline Report has revealed the more persistent challenges that continue to distress Australian workplaces across the country. The report itself presents insights from a range of data sources to illustrate the focus areas for action over the next 10 years.

Managing psychosocial risks

Psychosocial risks were pinpointed as one of the persistent challenges. High work demands, low job support, and harmful behaviours create a number of risks across the Australian workforce that can cause physical and psychological harm.

According to the report, on average, work-related psychological injuries have longer recovery times, higher costs, and require more time away from work, which results in a bad situation for both the employee and the business.

Managing the risks associated with psychosocial hazards not only does wonders for the overall safety and wellbeing of employees but can also eliminate any potentially detrimental business outcomes from arising. It also decreases the disruption associated with staff turnover and absenteeism and may improve broader organisational performance and productivity.

Health and safety vulnerability

Certain working conditions spread across industries throughout Australia have opened up workers to compound health and safety risks. These conditions have put workers at a greater risk of work-related illness, injury or death than others performing the same work in the same environment.

The report highlighted a list of structural factors that may lead these workers to be more vulnerable than others:

• Lack of WHS capability development: It can be more difficult for workers who have limited experience in Australian workplaces or who are working in a more complex working arrangement to readily access, understand and implement health and safety knowledge.
• Insufficient support: Some workers may hesitate to raise health and safety issues because of a power imbalance, and/or discrimination and stigma attached to raising WHS issues.
• Ineffective communication: One-size-fits-all communication approaches by persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) and/or a lack of suitable supervisory support can expose workers to unacceptable workplace risks. This is particularly significant since culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and migrant workers are over-represented in high-risk industries and occupations, including the agricultural, health care and social assistance sectors.

Additional support needed for small businesses

The report highlighted that in 2018–19, small businesses made up 97 per cent of all Australian businesses and employed 4.7 million workers. Yet almost half (43 per cent) of employees in those industries suffered higher rates of injury working in small businesses.

Often, small businesses have limited resources compared to larger organisations and, therefore, can struggle to allocate and dedicate required resources to health and safety, resulting in an uptick of workplace injuries.

Disruption, staff turnover and absenteeism, driven by workplace injuries, can be a financial nightmare for small businesses that only employ limited numbers of staff.

By identifying key influencers for small businesses and delivering tailored education and guidance to better promote the benefits of investing in health and safety, they can avoid these economic challenges that may arise from a workplace injury, but more importantly, they will be doing a better job of protecting their staff.