The psychosocial work environment is an integral part of a company’s health, safety and environment (HSE) efforts. It concerns how work is organised, led and followed up in practice, and plays an important role in employee wellbeing, sustainable operations and regulatory compliance.
This article provides a practical overview of:
what is meant by the psychosocial work environment
the main legal requirements
how organisations can work actively and systematically with these topics in everyday operations
The intention is to show how this work can be a natural part of good management and governance, not something that is only addressed in special situations.
1. What is meant by the psychosocial work environment?
The psychosocial work environment includes aspects of work that affect employees’ mental health, motivation and experience of their working day.
Typical factors include:
workload and time pressure
roles, responsibilities and expectations
cooperation and communication
conflicts
leadership and follow-up
harassment, bullying and unwanted behaviour
violence and threats
These factors are shaped by how work is planned, distributed and managed, and are therefore a matter of leadership and organisation.
2. Legal requirements – the framework
Requirements related to the psychosocial work environment are primarily set out in the Norwegian Working Environment Act, as part of systematic HSE work.
In summary, the Act requires employers to:
ensure a fully satisfactory working environment
organise work so that employees are not exposed to adverse mental strain or harassment
work systematically and preventively with health, safety and the working environment
The legislation allows flexibility in how these requirements are met, but is clear about responsibility, structure and follow-up.
3. Systematic work with the psychosocial work environment
Good practice is characterised by addressing the psychosocial work environment proactively and continuously, rather than reactively.
This work can be divided into three main areas:
4. Risk assessments
Organisations should regularly carry out conscious assessments of risks related to psychosocial factors, in the same way as for physical working conditions.
Typical topics include:
workload and work pressure
roles, responsibilities and expectations
cooperation and interaction
conflict levels
leadership and follow-up
violence and threats
harassment and sexual harassment
The key is not the format, but that assessments are:
relevant to the organisation
documented at an appropriate level
used as a basis for preventive measures and improvements
5. Measures and procedures
Systematic work requires clear and practical procedures for handling situations that may arise.
Common examples include:
procedures for conflict management
procedures for handling harassment, bullying and unwanted behaviour
whistleblowing procedures
clear clarification of roles and responsibilities if an issue occurs
Procedures should be:
adapted to the size and risk profile of the organisation
easy to understand and apply
known and used in practice by both managers and employees
6. Follow-up in everyday operations
An essential part of psychosocial work environment management is ongoing follow-up over time.
In practice, this involves ensuring that:
managers are familiar with and use the procedures
employees know where to find them and how to use them
concerns are addressed at an early stage
cases are handled in a predictable and structured manner
When this works well in daily operations, the organisation is also well prepared if the work is later reviewed or questioned.
7. Participation and involvement
A good psychosocial work environment is created through cooperation.
This means that:
employees are involved in assessments and improvement efforts
safety representatives (and, where applicable, working environment committees) play an active role
dialogue and participation are a natural part of everyday work
This contributes to better measures and stronger ownership within the organisation.
8. An important clarification
The law does not require that everyone feels good all the time.
It requires that the employer:
works systematically
prevents known risk factors
takes action when challenges arise
When this is in place, the psychosocial work environment becomes part of normal operations, rather than something addressed only when problems occur.
9. How we recommend working with this in practice
Our experience is that work on the psychosocial work environment is most effective when it is integrated into existing structures and processes, rather than treated as a standalone project.
We recommend:
clearly anchoring responsibility in management, making the psychosocial work environment part of the leadership role
using existing meeting arenas (management meetings, staff meetings, working environment committees) for regular dialogue
carrying out simple, relevant risk assessments that are actively used as a basis for decisions
ensuring that procedures are practical, understandable and adapted to everyday operations
working preventively and addressing signals early, before challenges escalate
reviewing and adjusting measures when there are changes in organisation, staffing or workload
Small, systematic efforts over time often deliver better results than large, isolated initiatives. When this work is well integrated into daily operations, it supports both a healthy work environment and long-term sustainability.
Summary
Working with the psychosocial work environment is about good organisation, clear leadership and systematic HSE work.
Organisations that actively carry out risk assessments, establish clear procedures and follow up in practice create a strong foundation for employees, managers and the organisation as a whole.