The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation
Psychosocial risks constitute a significant problem in most workplaces, and they are generally considered more difficult to regulate than many other occupational health and safety risks. This article investigates the challenges of regulating psychosocial risks in the workplace. The difficulties lie...
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Aalborg University
2016-10-01
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Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26673 |
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doaj-2e830f986c634582a315645b64f159662020-11-25T00:49:02ZengAalborg UniversityNordic Journal of Working Life Studies2245-01572016-10-016310.19154/njwls.v6i3.552624069The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for RegulationAnne Helbo Jespersen0Peter Hasle1Klaus T. Nielsen2Bureau Veritas Denmark, and Center for Industrial Production, Aalborg UniversityAalborg UniversityRoskilde UniversityPsychosocial risks constitute a significant problem in most workplaces, and they are generally considered more difficult to regulate than many other occupational health and safety risks. This article investigates the challenges of regulating psychosocial risks in the workplace. The difficulties lie in the particular nature of psychosocial risks: their complexity, uncertainty, value, and power divergences. Psychosocial risks therefore resemble ‘wicked problems’, typically characterized by unclear cause-effect relationships and uncertain solutions. We use the ‘wicked problems’ concept to show how workplace regulation, and particularly the enforcement in the form of inspection and audits of certified occupational health and safety management systems, face challenges in assessing psychosocial risks and the strategies used by regulators to overcome these challenges. While regulation has become more effective in several countries, a better understanding of the nature of the challenges is still needed. It is necessary to accept the uncertain nature of psychosocial risks in the search for more efficient regulation. Achieving more effective regulation should involve stakeholders in the workplace who deal with the prerogatives of management, and should help develop the competencies of the inspectors and auditors in the field.https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26673Healthworking environment & wellbeingOrganization & management |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Anne Helbo Jespersen Peter Hasle Klaus T. Nielsen |
spellingShingle |
Anne Helbo Jespersen Peter Hasle Klaus T. Nielsen The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies Health working environment & wellbeing Organization & management |
author_facet |
Anne Helbo Jespersen Peter Hasle Klaus T. Nielsen |
author_sort |
Anne Helbo Jespersen |
title |
The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation |
title_short |
The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation |
title_full |
The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation |
title_fullStr |
The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Wicked Character of Psychosocial Risks: Implications for Regulation |
title_sort |
wicked character of psychosocial risks: implications for regulation |
publisher |
Aalborg University |
series |
Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
issn |
2245-0157 |
publishDate |
2016-10-01 |
description |
Psychosocial risks constitute a significant problem in most workplaces, and they are generally considered more difficult to regulate than many other occupational health and safety risks. This article investigates the challenges of regulating psychosocial risks in the workplace. The difficulties lie in the particular nature of psychosocial risks: their complexity, uncertainty, value, and power divergences. Psychosocial risks therefore resemble ‘wicked problems’, typically characterized by unclear cause-effect relationships and uncertain solutions. We use the ‘wicked problems’ concept to show how workplace regulation, and particularly the enforcement in the form of inspection and audits of certified occupational health and safety management systems, face challenges in assessing psychosocial risks and the strategies used by regulators to overcome these challenges. While regulation has become more effective in several countries, a better understanding of the nature of the challenges is still needed. It is necessary to accept the uncertain nature of psychosocial risks in the search for more efficient regulation. Achieving more effective regulation should involve stakeholders in the workplace who deal with the prerogatives of management, and should help develop the competencies of the inspectors and auditors in the field. |
topic |
Health working environment & wellbeing Organization & management |
url |
https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/26673 |
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