Insights from Policing: 

Psychosocial Risks in First Responder Agencies

First responders are on the frontline of community safety and crisis response, yet many work in environments that place extraordinary strain on their mental health and well-being. Despite their courage and commitment, police officers, paramedics, and firefighters often operate within systems that expose them to chronic stress, burnout, and psychological injury.

In this article, we unpack the psychosocial risks affecting first responder agencies, explore the latest research and legislative developments across Australia and New Zealand, and share insights from real-world case studies. You’ll also find practical strategies and control measures that agencies can apply to reduce psychosocial hazards and build safer, more supportive workplaces.

We go beyond compliance to highlight the organisational factors that truly matter: leadership, culture, and fairness. Effective organisational systems and supportive leadership don’t just protect psychological health; they enhance performance, retention, and public trust. Conversely, poor leadership, role overload, and lack of justice can become powerful drivers of distress, compounding the unavoidable pressures of the job.

The Impacts of Psychosocial Hazards on Burnout, Well-being and Retention

First responder agencies experience some of the highest levels of psychosocial risk of any profession. The combination of high emotional load, long shifts, and intense public scrutiny creates a cycle of exhaustion and disconnection that undermines both individual and organisational performance.

In one policing agency, 87% of frontline staff reported moderate to high burnout, and 58% reported clinically significant embitterment, a state of chronic frustration and disillusionment. This is more than a well-being issue, it’s an operational and safety concern. Burnout leads to attrition, reduced concentration, and declining public trust, creating a cycle that feeds back into increased workload and lower morale.

Perhaps most strikingly, organisational stressors such as poor leadership, inconsistent communication, and unfair practices have 2.5 to 3 times greater impact on psychological distress than trauma exposure itself. While trauma is unavoidable in first responder work, the organisational systems surrounding staff play a decisive role in determining whether they recover or burn out.

Common Psychosocial Hazards in High-Pressure Environments​

First responders operate in environments where stressors are both constant and complex. Research and frontline experience identify five of the most common psychosocial hazards across first responder sectors:

  • Trauma exposure – Continuous exposure to distressing incidents and human suffering.
  • Role overload – Excessive demands and competing priorities that exceed available resources.
  • Poor leadership support – A lack of fairness, empathy, and guidance from leaders.
  • Poor organisational justice – Inconsistent communication, reactive decision-making, or perceptions of bias.
  • Bullying and harassment – Persistent negative interpersonal behaviours that corrode psychological safety.

The figure below illustrates how these five hazards interact within high-pressure environments. While trauma exposure is an unavoidable part of first responder work, the remaining four hazards are systemic and preventable. When they occur together, for example, chronic workload combined with poor leadership and bullying, their effects multiply, leading to heightened burnout, disengagement, and increased psychological injury risk.​

(Drew and Carroll, 2022)

Distinguishing Between Organisational and Occupational Factors

Effective psychosocial risk management in first responder agencies begins with understanding the difference between organisational and occupational stressors. Both influence mental health, performance, and retention, but they differ in origin and in how much control the organisation has over them.

Organisational Stressors

​arise from the systems and structures of work; the way workloads are distributed, how decisions are made and communicated, and whether staff are treated fairly and supported. These factors are largely within the organisation’s control.

Examples:​

  • Administrative Burden
  • Organisational justice
  • Role overload
  • Rostering design
  • Change fatigue
  • Discipline processes

Occupational Stressors

are inherent to the nature of first responder work. Exposure to trauma, high emotional demands, and community scrutiny cannot be removed entirely, but their impact can be mitigated through organisational design and support.​

Examples:​

  • Exposure to trauma
  • Public/community expectations
  • Emotional fatigue
  • Staffing levels
  • Emotional fatigue
  • Cumulative stress exposure

A study of 1,763 Australian police officers found that organisational stress had three times more impact on psychological distress than trauma, while operational stress (e.g., shift patterns, workload, and public pressure) had 2.5 times more impact. Trauma itself did not directly predict burnout once organisational and operational factors were considered.

Control Measures to Reduce Risk

Just as physical safety risks are managed through structured controls, psychosocial risks should be addressed systematically using the Hierarchy of Controls. This approach prioritises prevention by changing the work itself before focusing on individual coping strategies

*Any control strategy must also consider legislation, political commitments, community expectations, and leadership engagement. The process must include continuous consultation with frontline staff, unions, and health and safety representatives to ensure that solutions are practical and accepted across the workforce

Case Study 1.

Constable James works in a metropolitan police station that has seen rising demand due to increased family violence calls, community protests, and government reporting requirements. Staffing numbers have not kept pace with demand.

Additional Information:

  • James’s supervisor, also under pressure, relies heavily on James to cover extra shifts and mentor new recruits.
  • James frequently takes unfinished reports home to meet deadlines.
  • James has recently been described as irritable, easily flustered, and missing information in reports.

Psychosocial hazards:

  • Role overload and cognitive fatigue (organisational).
  • Emotional exhaustion from trauma exposure (occupational).
  • Lack of supportive supervision and workload management (organisational).

Control measures:

  • Redistribute administrative tasks to support staff.
  • Adjust rostering to balance high-demand and lower-intensity duties.
  • Provide leadership training for early detection of overload.
  • Enhance peer and well-being support systems.

This example reinforces that even when trauma exposure cannot be prevented, organisational justice and leadership behaviour determine whether employees recover or disengage.

Case Study 2.

Senior Sergeant Lena Tui has served 18 years in a regional policing district. Her team has faced a surge in fatal road incidents and several high-profile use-of-force cases that attracted intense media criticism and internal investigation.
While Lena has maintained strong operational performance, she reports feeling emotionally drained and morally conflicted.
She perceives inconsistent organisational standards in how investigations are handled and feels that leadership communication is reactive and unsupportive. Several younger officers have transferred out citing poor morale, leaving Lena to manage escalating demand with fewer resources.

Psychosocial hazards:

  • Cumulative trauma and moral injury (occupational).
  • Poor organisational justice and reactive communication (organisational).

Control measures:

  • Develop transparent and fair investigation processes.
  • Redistribute high-stress duties to prevent chronic overload.
  • Offer debriefing sessions focused on moral injury and values alignment.
  • Strengthen communication channels between leadership and staff.

This example reinforces that even when trauma exposure cannot be prevented, organisational justice and leadership behaviour determine whether employees recover or disengage.

Psychosocial risk management in first responder agencies requires shifting the lens from individual resilience to organisational responsibility.

When agencies invest in strong leadership, fair systems, and meaningful consultation, they build not only healthier teams but safer communities.

Watch the full webinar replay below:

 

References:

  • Drew, J. M., & Martin, S. (2023). Organisational stress and resilience among Australian first responders: Implications for leadership and wellbeing programs. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 38(2), 145–159. 
  • Drew, J. M., & Carroll, R. (2022). Occupational stress and psychological wellbeing in first responder agencies: Understanding the impact of organisational and operational stressors. Police Practice and Research, 23(6), 652–668. 
  • Martin, S., Drew, J. M., & Carroll, R. (2023). Psychosocial risk factors in Australasian policing: A cross-agency analysis. International Journal of Emergency Services, 12(1), 24–40.
  • Regehr, C., & LeBlanc, V. R. (2017). PTSD, acute stress, performance, and decision-making in emergency service workers. Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 45(2), 184–192. https://jaapl.org/content/45/2/184

Let us support you

Ways we can help:

  • Psychosocial Risk Audit - your bespoke dashboard and team of experts
  • Train SLT and line managers in psychosocial risk management
  • Train staff to understand psychosocial risk and their responsibilities (+ how to regulate stress)
  • Wellbeing training that actually works
Book a Call With Us Now
We run free professional development sessions like this once a month.
Subscribe below to be notified about future sessions.
Subscribe