50% of Australian workers report being bullied on World Mental Health Day

One in two Australian workers have experienced being bullied, harassed or exposed to conflict or inappropriate behaviour in a new exclusive work survey.

The results of the disturbing survey (attached) finds just as many report unrealistic workloads, poor training and exposure to traumatic events.

The survey, conducted in the lead up to today, World Mental Health Day, comes even as Australian states synchronise new laws to hold employers responsible for psychological and psychosocial hazards in the workplace.

Psychological injury is the fastest growing workers compensation claim, with projections noting that these will form one in three claims by the end of the decade.

Workplace psychosocial hazards are psychological risks that arise from the design or management or work, the work environment and workplace behaviours that may cause psychological harm.

The most common causes of workplace mental health risks are:

· Work pressure and work overload

· Shift work and rostering

· Job insecurity

· Harassment and bullying

· Exposure to workplace violence or traumatic events

The survey, conducted exclusively for the AWU, contains responses from more than 1200 workers across multiple industries around Australia.

The largest responses were from the industries of Manufacturing, Mining, Construction, and Health and Community Services.

Psychological injury is an increasing risk, exacerbated by poor management of psychosocial hazards, however recent legislative changes now increase obligations on employers to take preventative measures.

The results of this survey (attached) builds on earlier work which found 60% of respondents were concerned about mental health and stress at work, with more than 23% being extremely concerned.

30% of members said they had sustained a mental health injury at work in the last 12 months, and this number is growing.

Research on Victorian suicides in 2012 found that 17% of suicides are work related.

Aside from the human cost, the cost to the economy of psychological and psychosocial injury is significant with The Productivity Commission estimating it costs the Australian economy $12.2 billion and $39.9 billion per year due to loss of productivity and participation (CEDA, 2020).

In addition mental health claims cost $480 million per year in workers compensation (Safe Work Australia, 2015)

Australian Workers’ Union National Secretary Paul Farrow says the survey results are disturbing.

“To see in black and white one in two Australian workers have experienced being bullied, harassed or exposed to conflict or inappropriate behaviour in their workplace is disturbing,” says Mr Farrow.

“We know Australians spend on average 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime, that’s about 5,000 days, or 13 years in total, it’s a really big part of your life, so to see the level of unhappiness reflected in this survey is shocking.

“We are seeing chronic levels of unrealistic workloads, poor training and exposure to traumatic events.

“Last year all states in Australia brought in new laws to hold employers responsible for psychological and psychosocial hazards in the workplace, this survey is a wake up call to them to start being proactive otherwise they will feel the consequences,” says Mr Farrow.