Preventing psychosocial risks – why it matters for every worker, every workplace
As a proud media partner of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), PPE Media Ltd is committed to amplifying this vital campaign. Although the official launch is scheduled for October 2026, the issues at its heart – psychosocial risks and their impact on mental health – demand attention now and throughout the entire 2026–2028 period. We will actively support the campaign by sharing practical resources, success stories and actionable advice to help make workplaces healthier and safer.
What is the issue?
Work should support our wellbeing. A well-designed job provides purpose, structure, social connection and financial security. Yet poor work design, organisation, and management – combined with unsupportive social environments – create psychosocial risks. These include excessive workloads, unclear roles, lack of autonomy, poor communication, job insecurity, emotional demands from difficult clients or patients and issues such as bullying, harassment or violence.
When not addressed, these risks lead to stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, fatigue, and other physical and social problems. The result? Workers suffer, organisations lose productivity and society bears higher healthcare and welfare costs. (healthy-workplaces.osha.europa.eu)
Why this matters to workers (and why employers must act)
- 1 in 3 EU workers report that work causes or worsens stress, anxiety or depression (OSH Pulse 2025).
- 37 % experience overall fatigue.
- 44 % face severe time pressure or work overload.
- Nearly 45 % of workers say they face risks to their mental wellbeing.
These are not abstract statistics. They represent real people struggling with exhaustion, isolation, blurred work-life boundaries (especially in remote/hybrid roles) and stigma that prevents them from speaking up. Employers have a clear legal duty to assess and prevent psychosocial risks alongside physical ones. But the business case is equally compelling: effective prevention reduces absenteeism, staff turnover and presenteeism while boosting engagement, productivity and reputation. [osha.europa.eu]
The campaign’s message is simple and powerful: Safety and health at work is everyone’s concern. It’s good for you. It’s good for business.
The five priority areas that must be addressed
The 2026–2028 Healthy Workplaces Campaign focuses on five interconnected priority areas. These provide a clear roadmap for employers, workers, safety representatives, HR professionals and policymakers:
- Psychosocial risk assessment and management
The cornerstone of the campaign. Employers must systematically identify risks, involve workers and representatives, set priorities, implement action plans and evaluate results. Strong leadership and integration into everyday OSH practices are essential. - Harassment, sexual harassment and violence
A zero-tolerance culture, clear reporting procedures and addressing root causes in organisational culture and leadership style are critical. - Physical risks and mental health
Physical and psychosocial risks interact. For example, high psychosocial demands increase the likelihood of accidents and musculoskeletal disorders. A holistic view of the whole work environment is required. - Psychosocial risks in the health and social care sector
This sector faces particularly high workloads, emotional demands and exposure to third-party violence. Special attention and tailored prevention are needed. - Supporting mental health at work
Foster open dialogue, reduce stigma, provide early intervention and create effective return-to-work processes. Collaboration between managers, workers and health professionals is key. [healthy-workplaces.osha.europa.eu]
Four guiding principles underpin all action: tailor solutions to your organisation, follow the hierarchy of prevention (eliminate risks first), involve workers at every stage and ensure visible management commitment.
Why act now – before the official launch?
The problems are already here. The campaign website is live with free resources in English (full multilingual rollout follows the October 2026 launch). Employers, workers and representatives can start preparing today by downloading the Campaign Guide, exploring the priority areas and beginning conversations about psychosocial risks.
Small, practical steps – clearer communication, balanced workloads, better support from managers and inclusive policies that recognise diversity (e.g., risks faced by women, migrants, young workers, older workers, LGBTIQ+ colleagues and disabled workers) – can deliver big improvements.
PPE Media Ltd’s commitment
As an official EU-OSHA media partner, PPE Media Ltd will:
- Regularly publish practical articles, case studies and toolkits drawn from the campaign.
- Share campaign materials across our network.
- Highlight good practice from organisations that are already leading the way.
Our goal is simple: help workplaces become healthier, safer and more productive – because mental health at work is everyone’s business.
Get involved today
Visit the official campaign website: https://healthy-workplaces.osha.europa.eu/en
- Download the full Healthy Workplaces Campaign Guide (English): Direct PDF
- Explore campaign materials and start your own prevention journey at the EU-OSHA Healthy Workplaces portal.
Together we can turn awareness into action. Let’s build workplaces where mental health is protected and everyone can thrive.
PPE Media Ltd – Media Partner of EU-OSHA
Making work healthier and safer for everyone.
