Is the psychosocial risk assessment mandatory in Germany?

Yes. Section 5 of the Arbeitsschutzgesetz requires employers to assess work-related risks, explicitly including psychological stress. It applies regardless of company size.

Does the works council need to be involved?

Where a works council exists, it generally has co-determination rights on how the assessment is designed and carried out. Involving it early avoids delays and builds trust.

How often should it be repeated?

The law does not set a fixed interval. It should be updated when working conditions change significantly and reviewed regularly to check whether measures are working.

Is this legal advice?

No. This article is general guidance. For specific obligations, consult your occupational safety specialist, company doctor or legal adviser.

Compliance

Psychosocial risk assessment in Germany: a practical guide for employers

Section 5 of the German Occupational Safety and Health Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz) requires employers to assess risks at work, and since 2013 it explicitly includes psychological stress. The psychosocial risk assessment, often called Gefährdungsbeurteilung psychischer Belastung, is a legal duty. Done well, it is also one of the most useful wellbeing diagnostics an organisation can run.

By Jacqueline Klemke · 7 October 2026 · 8 min read

What the law requires

Employers must identify psychological stress factors arising from work, assess them, take measures, check whether those measures are effective and document the process. The assessment looks at working conditions, not at individual employees' mental health.

The joint German occupational safety strategy (GDA) recommends looking at four areas: work content and tasks, work organisation, social relationships, and the working environment. Newer forms of work, such as remote work, should also be considered.

A seven-step process

The GDA guidance describes a cycle that most organisations can follow.

Define activities or areas to be assessed
Identify psychological stress factors, for example through surveys, workshops or observation
Assess the risks
Develop and implement measures
Check effectiveness
Update the assessment when conditions change
Document the process and results

Common pitfalls

The most frequent problem is stopping after the survey. A report is produced, filed, and nothing changes, which damages trust and makes the next survey less honest.

Other pitfalls include asking about individual symptoms instead of working conditions, failing to involve the works council early, and reporting results at a level so high that no team can act on them.

Turning compliance into improvement

Involve employees in interpreting results and designing measures. Workshops with each team, facilitated neutrally, usually produce more practical solutions than measures decided centrally.

Link the assessment to your wider wellbeing strategy so the same indicators are tracked over time. This turns a legal duty into an evidence base for decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the psychosocial risk assessment mandatory in Germany?: Yes. Section 5 of the Arbeitsschutzgesetz requires employers to assess work-related risks, explicitly including psychological stress. It applies regardless of company size.
Does the works council need to be involved?: Where a works council exists, it generally has co-determination rights on how the assessment is designed and carried out. Involving it early avoids delays and builds trust.
How often should it be repeated?: The law does not set a fixed interval. It should be updated when working conditions change significantly and reviewed regularly to check whether measures are working.
Is this legal advice?: No. This article is general guidance. For specific obligations, consult your occupational safety specialist, company doctor or legal adviser.