Workplace safety in Victoria is no longer only about physical hazards. Employers are now expected to actively manage psychological health and safety at work (Source: WorkSafe Victoria – Psychological Health). The Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 commenced on 1 December 2025, and they create specific obligations for Victorian employers to identify psychosocial hazards, control the risks, and review those controls when circumstances change (Source: Worksafe Victoria) . 

What does this mean in simple terms?

It means employers must take psychological health seriously in the same way they take physical safety seriously. If work design, systems, management practices or workplace conditions are creating risks to mental health, those risks need to be identified and addressed so far as is reasonably practicable. WorkSafe’s compliance code explains that psychosocial hazards can arise from work design, systems of work, management of work, workplace interactions and the working environment (Source: Worksafe Victoria). 

What are psychosocial hazards?

Psychosocial hazards are workplace factors that can negatively affect an employee’s mental health. WorkSafe highlights examples such as bullying, sexual harassment, aggression or violence, gendered violence, and work-related fatigue. Work-related stress is also a major focus where workplace demands, poor support, unclear roles, conflict or other pressures create risk of harm (Source: Worksafe Victoria). 

What are employers required to do?

Under Victoria’s framework (Source: WorkSafe Victoria Compliance Code), employers must:

✔ Identify risks

Understand what in your workplace may be affecting employees mentally.

✔ Control risks

Make real changes to reduce or remove those risks — not just surface-level fixes.

✔ Review regularly

Check that your systems are working, especially after incidents or changes.

✔ Consult employees

Speak with your team and involve them in creating safer work conditions.

This is not optional — and it’s not something you can delay.

Why This Matters For Your Business

Ignoring psychological health risks can cost more than compliance.

It can lead to:

• Increased staff turnover

• Burnout and absenteeism

• Workplace conflict

• Reduced productivity

• Legal and reputational risk

On the other hand, businesses that get this right build:

• Stronger teams

• Better leadership

• Higher performance

• A reputation people trust

How employers can respond well

A strong response usually includes:

• clear policies and reporting pathways

• leadership capability in handling psychosocial risks

• early identification of stressors and emerging issues

• consultation with staff

• practical risk controls, not just awareness training

• support services for employees when issues arise. 

WorkSafe also notes that information, instruction or training should not be the only control if better practical controls are reasonably available. In other words, employers need to do more than tell people to be resilient. They need to fix the work factors creating the risk. 

How Adapt EAP Supports Employers

At Adapt EAP, we make compliance simple, practical, and effective.

We help you move from confusion → clarity → action.

Our services include:

• Psychosocial risk assessments

• Leadership and manager support

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP counselling)

• Critical incident response

• Ongoing wellbeing strategies and frameworks

Everything we do is tailored to your business — not generic templates.