Psychosocial Risk Assessment - Change Principles: Consultation Paper - APRIL 2025
This assessment of psychosocial risk is based on the template available at Appendix C of the Work Health and Safety (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work) Code of Practice 2024.
Context
The University is working to strengthen its long-term sustainability. The Renew ANU 2025 Change Principles: Consultation Paper (the Paper) outlines the strategic and operational challenges faced by ANU and the proposed responses which include design principles for the proposed University Operating Model. That
document outlines the University's overall approach to University-wide improvements and sets the foundation for future discussions by providing an overarching view of the next phase of Renew ANU.
The following key activities identified through the Paper's discussion, form the basis of this risk assessment:
1. Pursue savings, including a reduction in non-staff costs. These savings support the long-term sustainability of the University.
2. Adopt principles which inform the development of change proposals. These change proposals will help achieve a new operating model which may include the removal of operational duplication, further supporting long-term sustainability.
Risk statement
Hazard(s)
How frequently would employees How long would the
How severe would an employee's What other hazards may interact with
How effective are current control measures?
Measures to enhance control effectiveness
be exposed to this hazard
exposure last?
exposure be
this particular hazard?
See Work Health and Safety (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work) Code of Practice 2024
Pursuing changes to improve the
1. Poor organisational change
1. Likely to occur but variable based Varies with the
Low to moderate level of exposure The following hazards may have a direct Partially effective, with variations in likelihood and consequence.
It is not reasonably practicable to effectively control this hazard solely based on elimination strategies. To improve control
operating model and reduce costs may
management.
on the frequency and timing of
duration and
due to the quality and clarity of
interaction:
effectiveness further strategies need to be consider around substitution (role clarity, job control), engineering (job design) and
expose an employee to psychological
organisational change proposals.
effectiveness of
communication, consultation and - Job demands
Current control measures include:
administration (clarity of change proposals). Examples of a range of control measures include those set out below.
effects due to uncertainty about the
communication to staff planning.
- Job insecurity
future changes.
and the future change
- Lack of Role Clarity
- Commitment to consult with employees who are, or are likely to be, affected by a specific change, once a proposal is
Ensure a WHS risk assessment is completed for each change proposal (including risk assessment regarding impact on
proposal consultation.
developed.
psychological health) and reviewed during implementation of change.
- Provide clear, authoritative information about upcoming changes as soon as possible and keep employees up to date.
- Ensure workers understand the changes and why they’re happening.
1. Planning: Where reasonably practicable provide an overview of likely timing of development and implementation of change
- Leaders to actively engage in providing regular updates in a timely manner as soon as updated information is available proposals. Ensure lessons learnt from past and recent organisational changes result in improvements in change proposal
to be provided, focus on building trust in the workforce. Schedule regular team meetings or communication to provide
development, consultation and implementation. Where reasonably practicable, schedule extended lead times for consultative
reassurance and guide employees through the change, encouraging active input into change proposals.
periods to ensure employees have a realistic opportunity to review and comment on change proposals.
- Ensure changes are reasonable and fair (e.g. distribute work fairly).
Design organisational change to include additional principles of: seeking to minimise involuntary separations, plan or forecast
- Provide flexible work arrangements for work-life balance.
voluntary separations; and wellbeing and cultural safety strategies.
- Be empathetic to any frustration and help with any challenges.
2. Skill building and development opportunities: Provide opportunity for managers to upskill in the process of organisational
- Encourage employees to engage with consultation and change management processes.
change management. Increase employee skills and confidence for transferrable skills and career development. Access internal
- Promote access to employee assistance program services, financial support sessions.
supports such as the ANU scholarship schemes (PSSS and PSDEF), training and development courses, LinkedIn learning,
- Ensure EAP services are prominently advertised and coordinate special EAP sessions as required.
workplace skills building. Ensure resources are available to provide guidance on managing change.
3. Recognition and Rewards: During the period of transition create particular opportunities to acknowledge staff that may be
doing additional work and supporting their team members through formal or informal methods. Consider financial recognition
such as responsibility loading.
4. Work design: Modify work plans to allow for periods of change. Ensure employee duties, tasks, objectives and reporting is fair
and reasonable. Ensure employees are engaged in developing new job roles and descriptors. Ensure employees are adequately
resourced to complete existing and new jobs
Developing change proposals based on
1. Job demands
1 & 2. Varies depending on the
1 & 2. Ongoing pre and 1 &2. Moderate level of exposure
The following hazard may have a direct
Partially effective if employees have limited information about how change proposals will affect them personally,
The hazards associated with job characteristics, design and management require a combination of control measures involving
the principles outlined in the consultation 2. Job insecurity
extent, frequency and timing of
post consultation and due to the potential uncertainty
interaction:
creating a climate of uncertainty.
substitution, engineering, administration and personal protective equipment. Examples of control measures include the following.
paper may expose an employee to a range
organisational change proposals.
change.
about organisational structure
- Poor organisational change
Job demands:
of foreseeable psychosocial hazards
Likely to occur during change
whilst proposed changes are
management.
Current control measures for job demands include:
1. Prioritise tasks: Provide clear guidelines and empowerment for managers and employees on managing and monitoring
related to organisational change.
proposal consultation and during
identified and change proposals
- Conduct regular meetings with staff to discuss tasks and provide the required information and support.
workloads and expectations. Regularly review key deliverables to re-prioritise work, review tasks that can be discontinued or put
change proposal implementation.
are developed.
- Plan non-urgent work for quieter periods.
on hold.
- Ensure sufficient breaks and recovery time between shifts, including the use of annual leave and wellbeing leave,
2. Set work goals: Improve role clarity through accurate position descriptions and FOCUS goals, break down work tasks, provide
workplace adjustments and/or facilitate access to EAP and other support services.
opportunities for focused work time to improve productivity.
- Find efficiencies (e.g. redesign processes to reduce double handling).
3. Resource management: Delegate tasks effectively, fill job vacancies in a timely manner, enhance workforce planning and
- Provide quiet spaces for doing mentally demanding work.
manage resources across a team to manage peak workloads, provide induction and a buddy support system for new staff, train
- Reduce the risk of mistakes (e.g. use IT systems to capture important information and generate reminders).
workers for tasks and provide development opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Train workers so they have the skills to do the job safely.
4. Workload management tools: Consider improvements for systems that increase work efficiency capturing and monitoring
workload level data.
5. Safety: Ensure work requiring personal protective equipment is appropriately assessed and employees resourced to work
safely.
Current control measures for job insecurity include those controls centred on mitigating the hazard associated with
Job insecurity:
poor organisational change management. Key controls include:
- Clarity and further information provided in further specific change proposals to be provided as soon as reasonably practicable.
- Promote, support and guide employees to available EAP programs.
- Design further specific change proposals to minimise involuntary reduction in staff, where reasonably practicable.
- Provide reporting mechanisms for employees to raise concerns or issues;
- Consult regularly with employees on change proposals and implementation.
- Measures to support voluntary reductions in staffing by way of the Voluntary Separation Scheme, helping minimise job - Avoid precarious or uncertain work arrangements.
insecurity.
- Review and adjust work agreements and entitlements to provide certainty.
- Pursue non-labor costs savings to help minimise labor costs savings required
- Assign work fairly and provide reward/recognition for achievements
3. Harmful Behaviours (includes 3. Possible exposure to all
3. Periodic or isolated 3. Moderate to high level of
Current control measures for harmful behaviours include:
Control measures must eliminate, so far as is reasonably practicable, the hazards associated with harmful behaviours and risk of
hazards such as bullying,
employees (including managers)
during pre and post
exposure due to psychological
- Policy on employee code of conduct.
psychological harm. Elimination will require a combination of isolation, substitution and administrative control measures focused
harassment including sexual
during consultation and
change, in some cases effects such as stress, anxiety, or
- Procedure for preventing discrimination, harassment and bullying.
on prevention and response. Control measures may be grouped under categories such as physical work environment and physical
harassment)
implementation stages of
exposure may be
depression and physical effects
- Enterprise Agreement clauses related to bullying and harassment, managing unsatisfactory performance and
security. The following controls are examples for reference in assessing the risk associated with a change proposal.
organisational change.
insidious.
involving poor health and/or self-
grievance resolution.
Physical work environment:
harm. Poor organisational change
- University management strategies involving training and awareness, reporting mechanisms and grievance management - Communication: Regular clear communication on change proposals and expected behaviours.
management is a contributing
procedures.
- Policy and procedures: Ensure policy and procedures are applied in a consistent and timely manner.
factor to hazard realisation.
- Training: Continue ensuring training is regularly delivered to employees and managers in how to recognise bullying, respond to
this behaviour and report events/issues.
- Review: Identify trends in reported behaviours and develop/implement further measures to control the hazard/risk.
Physical security:
- Alarm or reporting systems: Ensure employees are aware of how to report issues or events. Provide advice on maintaining
physical safety.
- Access control: Ensure employees have access to secure facilities as required. Continue to limit entry to secure areas to
essential persons only.
- Visibility: Continue to ensure after hours common or movement areas have adequate light.
- Environment: Ensure public facing areas are assessed and structured to provide an appropriate level of security.
Document Outline
