Wade Needham provides his personal responses to a series of questions regarding psychosocial hazards, offering a fresh and more corporate perspective. This continues the series of articles based on speakers at the recent Psych Health and Safety conference.
The 2025 Psych Health and Safety (PHS) Conference, held in Sydney and hosted by FlourishDx, marked a significant evolution from its inaugural event. With over 200 delegates, a larger venue, enhanced facilities, and a more polished exhibition space, the conference built on its foundational success. Centred around four key themes—evidence-based practice, leading mentally healthy workplaces, inclusive work design, and international perspectives—the event delivered a robust platform for professionals from occupational health and safety (OHS) and human resources (HR) to converge on the critical topic of psychosocial health and safety.
Later this afternoon, Carlo Caponecchia will be on a conference panel about ISO45003, a document he assisted in creating, but he has been involved in psychosocial hazard research for much longer than just one international Standard. I value his perspectives which are reflected in his responses to my questions below.
Danielle Griffiths is a health and wellbeing manager who will appear at this week’s Psych Health and Safety conference in Sydney. In response to my question below, Griffiths offered her personal opinion.
“There seems to be a strengthening demand for a new socioeconomic approach that respects the humanity of workers. How did we lose the focus on our humanity? What is stopping us from redesigning work to be more respectful?”
Canadian Mary Ann Baynton speaking about the Canadian Mental Health Standard at a recent conference in Sydney was the first speaker to mention the importance of consensus – an important element of workplace negotiation often missing from how consultation is applied.
The 2nd (annual) psych health and safety conference commenced with what was almost a summary of the current play in the workplace psychosocial/psychological sphere. This year, the venue is bigger, and the number of delegates in person and online appears much bigger. But the most significant feature is the blending of different disciplines under the psych tag.
Rob Briner kicked it off
The second in our series of occupational health and safety questions to an artificial intelligence centres on the issue of ISO 45003’s influence on the management and prevention of psychosocial hazards. It was asked:
“How influential has ISO45003 been in achieving systemic and organisational change in Australia?”
