Psychosocial risk factor survey
Identify the sources of workplace stress before they become a problem
Work-related stress rarely has a single cause. More often, it builds gradually: excessive workloads, unclear expectations, changes announced at the last minute, strained team relationships or a feeling that no one recognises the effort put in. By the time these warning signs turn into sickness absence, burnout, conflict or staff turnover, addressing the situation costs much more.
The psychosocial risk factor survey conducted by Addelse helps you identify which aspects of work organisation, management and workplace relationships pose the greatest risks to employee wellbeing in your organisation. You receive an occupational risk assessment that meets legal requirements, along with a clear picture of where preventive action would be most effective.
What are the benefits of the survey?
- Identifies the factors that cause employees the most stress and the level of risk in each area
- Helps distinguish isolated problem areas from systemic risks affecting an entire organisation or department
- Reveals differences between departments, job roles and employee groups
- Provides reliable data for a preventive action plan
- Helps reduce the risks of burnout, sickness absence, conflict and staff turnover before they escalate
Seven common sources of work-related stress
We conduct the survey using a 35-item questionnaire adapted from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards model. This internationally recognised model identifies seven areas that have the greatest impact on work-related stress, while the adapted version helps provide a more accurate picture of the situation in your organisation.
Job demands
Workload and pace, opportunities to take breaks, overtime and conflicting expectations from different stakeholders.
Control over work
Opportunities to use your skills, choose your working pace and methods, feel trusted and empowered, and balance work and personal life.
Manager support
Whether employees receive sufficient help, feedback and attention from their manager when they need it.
Peer support
Whether team members routinely help one another, share information and offer support in difficult situations.
Relationships at work
Tension and conflict within the team, inappropriate behaviour, harassment, intimidation or workplace bullying.
Role at work
Clarity of responsibilities, goals and expectations, the connection between an employee’s work and the organisation’s strategy, and confidence in their own competence.
Change at work
Whether employees are informed and consulted about changes in advance, understand how those changes will work in practice and have opportunities to ask managers questions.
Additional area
The questionnaire can also be tailored to your organisation’s needs.
From survey to preventive action plan
-
We agree on the survey plan
We discuss your organisation’s situation and structure, agree on how the results should be broken down and prepare communications for employees.
-
We give employees a secure way to share their views
Each employee receives an individual link and responds to the 35 questionnaire items. We upload demographic data to the system in advance, keeping the survey short and ensuring that results are accurately assigned to the relevant groups.
-
We assess the level of risk
We analyse each item individually and each category of risk factors as a whole. This shows both the specific issues that need attention and the overall level of risk in each area.
-
We help you take action
We present the results to managers, identify priority risks and recommend preventive measures. Where needed, we facilitate team discussions and action planning sessions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What should you know before getting started?
We answer the questions we hear most often from organisations planning a psychosocial risk assessment.
Can’t find your question? We can answer it during a 30-minute conversation.
Yes. Employers are required to assess occupational risks, including psychosocial risk factors. Our survey provides reliable data for this assessment and for planning preventive measures.
Yes. Only Addelse consultants can see individual responses; the organisation receives only aggregated results. Results for small groups are not reported separately, so that individuals cannot be identified.
Employees rate the statements on a scale from 1 to 6. A neutral response often becomes a “safe” choice that conceals the real situation. Without it, each response gives a clearer indication of whether an employee views the area positively or sees a problem.
An average can be misleading. For example, an average of 3.5 could mean that half of employees rate the situation very positively and the other half very negatively. This could appear to indicate low risk, even though the problem is actually serious. We therefore calculate the proportion of employees who selected positive (5–6), mid-range (4 and 3) and negative (1–2) responses.
We help managers discuss the results with their teams, develop a preventive action plan and choose next steps, such as management training, team consultations or a follow-up survey to assess progress.