Topic guide
Psychosocial risk at work: from assessment to real change
Many organisations in Germany complete the Gefährdungsbeurteilung psychischer Belastung. Far fewer use it to change how work is done. This guide brings together our articles and services so you can run an assessment that leads to action.
Four things to get right
- Step 1
Understand the duty
In Germany, the Arbeitsschutzgesetz requires every employer to assess the risks of work, including psychological strain. This is the Gefährdungsbeurteilung psychischer Belastung.
- Step 2
Use a recognised framework
ISO 45003 gives international guidance on managing psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety system. It is useful for companies working across countries.
- Step 3
Get honest data
If people do not feel safe to speak up, survey results look better than reality. Psychological safety decides whether the assessment shows the true picture.
- Step 4
Act, then check
The assessment only has value if it leads to changes in workload, job design and leadership, each with an owner and a date to check whether it worked.
Read the guides
8 min read
Psychosocial risk assessment in Germany: a practical guide for employers
What German law requires, who is responsible and how to run the assessment well.
8 min read
Psychological safety at work: what it is, what it is not, and how to build it
Why the assessment only works if people feel safe to answer honestly.
7 min read
Preventing burnout at work: why resilience training is not enough
How workload, control and recognition turn into burnout, and what to change.
6 min read
The manager effect: why line managers shape employee wellbeing
Why line managers decide whether findings lead to change in everyday work.
See also: Psychosocial safety · Neurodivergence at work
How we can help
Organisational Assessments
A team-level diagnosis of psychosocial risk, combined with workload, leadership and psychological safety data.
See the service →Workplace Wellbeing Pulse Check
A fast, anonymous follow-up to check whether the measures you agreed are working.
See the service →Leadership Development
Training for the managers who have to carry the measures into day-to-day work.
See the service →
Common questions
- What is psychosocial risk?
- Psychosocial risk covers the parts of how work is designed, organised and managed that can harm mental or physical health, such as high workload, low control, unclear roles, poor support or conflict.
- Is a psychosocial risk assessment required in Germany?
- Yes. Under the Arbeitsschutzgesetz, the employer's risk assessment must include psychological strain at work. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.
- How does ISO 45003 relate to the German requirement?
- ISO 45003 is voluntary international guidance. It does not replace the legal duty in Germany, but it offers a structured way to manage psychosocial risk, which is helpful for international companies.
- What is the difference between psychosocial risk and psychological safety?
- Psychosocial risk describes conditions at work that can cause harm. Psychological safety is a team's shared belief that it is safe to speak up. Low psychological safety makes psychosocial risks harder to see and fix.
General guidance, not legal advice.