Is unreasonable workload a psychosocial hazard in Australia?

Yes. High job demands, including having too much to do in too little time, can be a psychosocial hazard when exposure is severe, prolonged or frequent. The precise legal requirements depend on the relevant jurisdiction.

How should an employer assess workload risk?

Employers should consult workers, observe work, review available records and consider the duration, frequency and severity of exposure together with related hazards such as low job control and poor support.

Does the right to disconnect mean employers cannot contact staff after hours?

No. The right concerns an employee’s ability to refuse to monitor, read or respond outside working hours unless that refusal is unreasonable.

Can digital work data be used to monitor psychosocial risk?

Team-level digital work-pattern data can support risk identification and control review, but it should support consultation and human judgement rather than individual surveillance or automated diagnosis.

Unreasonable Workload: Psychosocial Hazard in Australia

Unreasonable Workload: Psychosocial Hazard in AustraliaAustralian workplaces can miss unreasonable workload when it becomes culturally normal. This article explains high job demands, after-hours work, early exposure indicators and how to review whether a psychosocial control actually worked.