New Developments and Trends in Psychosocial Risk Management in Europe – Evidence from the ESENER-3 Survey - World Congress on Safety & Health at Work

1. Safety and health at work is everyone’s concern. It’s good for you. It’s good for business.
New Developments and Trends in Psychosocial Risk Management in Europe –
Evidence from the ESENER-3 Survey
XXII World Congress on Safety & Health at Work
Xabier Irastorza, Malgorzata Milczarek
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

2. 2
www.esener.eu
0 20 40 60 80 100
Poor communication or cooperation within the organisation
Long or irregular working hours
Loud noise
Increased risk of slips, trips and falls
Chemical or biological substances
Heat, cold or draught
Risk of accidents with vehicles in the course of work
Time pressure
Risk of accidents with machines or hand tools
Lifting or moving people or heavy loads
Having to deal with difficult customers, patients, pupils etc.
Prolonged sitting
Repetitive hand or arm movements
2019 2014
Risk factors present in the establishment, 2014-2019
(% establishments, EU27_2020).
Base: all establishments in the EU27_2020.
MSDs: 3 of top 4
Psychosocial risks increasing –
countries/sectors

3. 3
www.esener.eu
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
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90
100
5-9 10-49 50-249 250+
All other risk factors Psychosocial risk factors
No risk factors present in the establishment, by size 2019
(% establishments, EU27_2020)
Base: all establishments in the EU27_2020.
However, among those reporting psychosocial risks,..
…. they are perceived to be more difficult to manage than other OSH risks:
 Nordic countries and (1) Human health and social work and (2) Education.
 Reluctance to talk openly about the issue.
No psychosocial risk factors?
Awareness - leadership

4. 4
www.esener.eu
Measures to prevent psychosocial risks, by size, 2019
(%establishments, EU27_2020)
Base: all establishments in the EU27_2020.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
5-9 10-49 50-249 250+
Reorganisation of work in order to reduce job demands and work pressure Confidential counselling for employees
Training on conflict resolution Intervention if excessively long or irregular hours are worked
Allowing employees to take more decisions on how to do their job
 Worker involvement in measures to prevent psychosocial risks:
 Decreasing slightly 2014-2019.
 Highest in (1) Human health and social work and (2) Education.
 Increasing procedures to prevent psychosocial risks.
 Violence (51%), bullying or harassment (45%) and stress (33%).

5. 5
www.esener.eu
Impact of COVID-19
Qualitative follow-up studies of ESENER 2019
 Psychosocial risk management in MSEs
• Teleworking
−Workload, work-life balance.
−Increased social isolation.
• Positive future effect? Importance of social relations.
• Job insecurity
−Workload, stress.
−Economic pressure – attention away from psychosocial risks.
 Human health and social work activities
• Very long crisis, cummulative effects.
−Long working hours, staff shortages, work-life balance (women).
−Remote service? Stress.
−PPE: lack in first wave, proper training? Risks of wearing PPE.
−Post traumatic stress, anxiety, sick-leave, isolation.

6. 6
www.esener.eu
ESENER Data Visualisation Tool
Available in all EU official
languages plus:
• Icelandic
• Macedonian
• Norwegian
• Russian
• Serbian

7. 7
www.esener.eu
ESENER Methodology and Ongoing projects
www.esener.eu
All covering impact of COVID-19!
Three waves: 2009 – 2014 – 2019
ESENER 2019
Mode: telephone (CATI)/ Online option Countries: 33
Establishments surveyed: 45,420 Business size: 5 employees on
Activity sector: all, including public Respondent: person ‘who knows best’ about OSH in their establishment
Topics: OSH management, psychosocial risks, worker participation, drivers and barriers to OSH
Comparability ESENER 2014 and 2019!
Publication date Project
Early 2022 Psychosocial risk management in micro and small enterprises
ESENER Overview report: (1) legislation and (2) worker representation
Human health and social work activities
Late 2022 Education
Early 2023 Accommodation and food service activities