Our working lives can have a significant impact on our psychological well-being and the current pandemic has shone a spotlight on just how great that impact can be. Recognizing that employers have a responsibility to protect both the physical and psychosocial health of their staff, the world’s first International Standard to address that has just been published.

ISO 45003, Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks, gives guidance on managing psychological health and safety risks within an occupational health and safety management system. It addresses the many areas that can impact a worker’s psychological health, including ineffective communication, excessive pressure, poor leadership and organizational culture.

The standard covers aspects such as how to identify the conditions, circumstances and workplace demands that have the potential to impair the psychological health and well-being of workers; how to identify primary risk factors and assess them to determine what changes are required to improve the working environment; and how to identify and control work-related hazards and manage psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety management system.

ISO 45003 will also help users meet the requirements of ISO 45001, the world’s first International Standard for an occupational health and safety management system, which is the foundation of a resilient organization with a strong, healthy and happy workforce.