Half way through Day 1 of the Psych Health and Safety Conference and it often feels like we are sitting at a dinner party of organisational psychologists, listening in to a conversation of respectful work colleagues. Some conversations are honest, some are uncomfortable and some are reassuring, but all are interesting.
There will be more on this conference over the next week as the transcripts come in and I have time to assess and analyze but Michael Leiter summarized much of the research on work-related burnout. He pulled in other elements of exhaustion, over work, engagement and a bit of wellbeing. Leiger’s international presence was an important element for the conference.
Marie Boland of Safe Work Australia was a similarly important speaker. Did she progress psychosocial health and safety management? Maybe not, however, she provided an important national context. Boland did provide some news of psychosocial events at work being officially notifiable to OHS regulators.
David Burroughs was probability the most entertaining due to his honesty, experieince and information sources. Clearly, the delegates want examples of practical application of psychosocial interventions and job design changes. Burroughs provided examples of what is required to turnaround a dysfunctional mental health organisational culture but there was so much, many answers were buried in the overall and overwhelming impression of the complexity.
However this afternoon, there is a set of three case studies on exactly this practical application and psychosocial change.
More soon.