Workplace stress risk assessment: practical steps for Irish employers

Look at demands, control, support, relationships, role clarity and change. Consider competing deadlines, unclear responsibilities, poor communication, inappropriate behaviour or insufficient support. Discuss actual work rather than assuming a problem is an employee’s lack of resilience.

Gather proportionate evidence: how tasks and shifts are organised, existing concerns and safe aggregate feedback. Do not collect diagnoses or private medical details to establish whether a workload or process needs attention.

Explain the purpose and invite feedback from people doing the work, including shift workers and those needing language support. Section 26 covers safety consultation. A questionnaire is one option, not the whole conversation.

HSA WorkPositiveCI provides a structured psychosocial risk management process. Ask a competent safety adviser whether it suits your organisation. ViscaCare’s separate survey supports anonymous consultation and dated process evidence; it is not the WorkPositiveCI tool or a substitute for a competent assessment.

See question examples and privacy considerations. For small teams, continue consulting safely even when scores cannot be reported.

Consider who may be affected, existing measures and what further controls are needed. A competent adviser can help choose an appropriate assessment method. A survey average is not a risk rating and favourable scores do not rule out a hazard.

• Competing demands: clarify priorities, review deadlines and consider resources.
• Unclear roles: agree responsibilities and resolve conflicting instructions.
• Poorly managed change: explain the proposal, consult and plan the transition.
• Insufficient support: make practical manager support and reporting routes clear.

These are illustrative responses, not findings about your team. Confidential EAP support and Doctor access can complement prevention, but cannot replace changes to harmful working conditions.

Section 19 addresses written risk assessment and section 20 the safety statement. Record the hazards considered, assessment, controls, responsible people and review arrangements. Share relevant safety information in a form employees understand.

Keep consultation evidence alongside, not instead of, these records. ViscaCare’s private Owner’s Record can document invitations, reminders and safe participation evidence, with anonymous results only where reporting thresholds allow. It does not certify the adequacy of workplace controls or provide legal protection.

For the governance context, read workplace stress and director responsibilities.

Agree a review date, check that actions happened and ask whether the working conditions improved. Section 19 requires review after significant change or where there is reason to believe the assessment is no longer valid. Do not wait for an annual survey if a concern needs earlier attention.

A reminder to complete the existing survey is not automatically a fresh before-and-after assessment. Use comparable evidence and an agreed method when evaluating change. The consultation cycle guide explains how to ask again and retain dated evidence without exposing individual answers.

1. Identify stressors and consult employees or their representatives.
2. Assess risks and choose proportionate controls with competent support.
3. Record the assessment, action owners and relevant safety information.
4. Monitor controls and review after significant change or when the assessment may no longer be valid.

The action plan and consultation record sit within wider workplace duties. Understand employer and director responsibilities.