Stress, mental health issues among the top concerns of lone workers
Psychosocial risks have emerged as the top concern plaguing lone workers in four countries, overtaking other physical hazards in the workplace.
This is according to a new report from EcoOnline, which surveyed 5,700 employees in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Lone workers refer to employees who are physically isolated and cannot reach their colleagues without a phone or via radio during all or part of the workday, according to EcoOnline.
Its report found that 35% of employees in the United States and Canada are lone workers, a figure that is similar in the United Kingdom.
For North American lone workers, the report found that stress and mental health issues, as well as fatigue, were the risks that they were most concerned about.
It is the other way around for those in the UK and Ireland, who cited fatigue as their top concern, followed by stress and mental health issues.
Environmental risks and chemical exposure were listed as being of least concern, especially among Irish lone workers, the report read.
Major cause of harm
Lone workers' concerns about psychosocial risks come as the report found that these factors were among the most common reasons behind work-related accidents and illnesses.
In North America, 45% of all respondents said they had personally experienced, or had a relative who experienced, a workplace accident or work-related illness.
According to 44% of Americans and 68% of Canadians, these work-related accidents or illnesses were related to stress.
Stress is a significantly more common contributor to work-related accidents or illnesses in Canada than in the U.S., the report read.
Most respondents who reported experiencing a work-related incident or illness (or knowing someone who has) say it was stress-related, with this figure being significantly higher in Canada.
Addressing psychosocial harm
These findings come amid growing scrutiny of employers' efforts to address psychosocial risks in the workplace.
In the United States, employees eligible under the Family and Medical Leave Act may be granted up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons, including serious mental health concerns.
In Australia, the government there also mandated employers to manage psychosocial risks, including identifying, minimising, and eliminating them as far as reasonably practicable.
Tom Goodmanson, CEO of EcoOnline, underscored the importance of technology in addressing psychosocial risks at work.
Supporting employee well-being means going beyond compliance, creating environments that are productive, supportive and safe, Goodmanson said in a statement.
Embracing technology to tackle psychosocial risks and make tangible sustainability commitments will be essential to keeping people protected and engaged. This is a business imperative, not just a regulatory one.
https://www.hcamag.com/au/news/general/psychosocial-risks-top-concern-for-lone-workers-report-finds/543468
