The Role of Occupational Health Services in Psych Risk Management and Promotion of Mental Health and Wellbeing at Work

A study by Jain et al. (2021) found that while many industrialised countries have developed Occupational Health Services (OHS), major challenges remain in how well these systems manage psychosocial risks and promote mental health and well-being at work.

Research Topic

The study examined how OHS contribute to psychosocial risk management—addressing work-related hazards such as high workload, poor role clarity, lack of support, bullying, and organisational injustice that can negatively impact mental health. The review compared OHS policies, structures, coverage, and implementation across 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK, and the US.

The main concerns identified

1. Implementation gap: Many countries have legislative or policy frameworks that reference psychosocial risks, but real-world implementation is patchy and inconsistent. In some contexts, OHS remain focused on traditional safety and physical health risks.

2. Coverage gap: Only a minority of workers globally—around 25%—have access to any form of OHS. Coverage is especially low in SMEs, informal sectors, and in countries where OHS provision is voluntary.

3. Capacity gap: Even where services exist, there is a shortage of multidisciplinary professionals (e.g., psychologists, ergonomists, occupational hygienists). Many OHS still focus primarily on curative functions delivered by physicians rather than preventive, team-based approaches.

4. Lack of integration: Mental health and psychosocial risk are not consistently embedded in mainstream OHS or national health systems, limiting their impact.

5. Policy fragmentation: Some countries regulate psychosocial risk through standalone policies or voluntary codes (e.g. ISO 45003), while others integrate it into general OSH law—leading to wide variability in coverage and enforcement.

Proposed Solutions

Authors suggested several strategies to address these concerns, which include:

1. Expanding legal mandates and standard-setting to explicitly include psychosocial risk management in OHS

2. Promoting multidisciplinary, prevention-focused OHS that address both physical and mental health

3. Improving coverage—especially for SMEs and precarious work—through models such as group services and integration into primary healthcare

4. Enhancing competency of OHS providers in psychosocial risk through training and professional development

5. Using validated national tools (e.g. UK Management Standards, PHReD-T in Australia) to support psychosocial risk assessment and action

6. Encouraging collaboration between health, labour, and social security systems to improve coordination and impact

Citation:

Jain, A., Hassard, J., Leka, S., Di Tecco, C., & Iavicoli, S. (2021). The role of occupational health services in psychosocial risk management and the promotion of mental health and well-being at work. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073632