Focus Question Set: Risk Assessment/Evaluation of Mental Stress

The risk assessment (DE) or evaluation of mental stress (AT) is key to a healthy, motivated team—and it's legally required! Learn how to conduct it correctly and derive value from it.

What is a risk assessment?
Legal differences between Germany and Austria
Why is the risk assessment so important?
How does the risk assessment work?
Measures to reduce mental stress
How does teamecho support risk assessment?
Compliant with the law, healthy employees

What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a process aimed at identifying and evaluating the risks to the safety and health of your employees in the workplace. It takes into account not only physical hazards, like heavy loads or dangerous machinery, but also psychological stressors.

These psychological stressors include:

• Work pressure: When tasks and deadlines lead to stress.
• Unclear task distribution: When employees are unsure of what is expected of them.
• Difficult social relationships: Tensions in the team or conflicts with supervisors.

A risk assessment involves identifying these risks and implementing measures to reduce or eliminate these stressors.

Legal differences between Germany and Austria

The legal foundations for risk assessments differ slightly between Germany and Austria, but the goal remains the same: protecting the mental health of your employees.

In Germany, it is referred to as the risk assessment of mental stress, regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG). Every employer is legally required to regularly evaluate mental stress in the workplace and take measures to improve working conditions.
In Austria, this process is called the evaluation of mental stress, regulated by the Employee Protection Act (ASchG), specifically in sections 4, 5, and 7. Here, too, it must be conducted regularly, every two years.

Whether in Germany or Austria, the goal is the same: as an employer, you must ensure that both physical and psychological risks are minimized.

Why is the risk assessment so important?

What is the risk assessment or the evaluation of mental stress? A legal requirement, the implementation of which brings numerous benefits to you and your company:

• Legal compliance: You meet legal requirements and protect yourself from potential sanctions.
• Prevention of downtime: By detecting stress factors early, you can prevent downtime and health issues.
• Improved employee satisfaction: Reducing mental stress in the workplace increases motivation and well-being among your employees.
• Economic benefits: Healthier employees mean fewer sick days, lower turnover, and higher productivity.

Investing in the health of your employees is a direct investment in the success of your company.

How does the risk assessment work?

In our guide, we provide an overview of everything you need to know about risk assessments or the evaluation of mental stress.

The process of risk assessment is generally well-structured. Here is an overview of the key steps:

1. Preparation
   Involve all relevant stakeholders, such as managers, the works council, and preventive services. Ensure that all parties have the necessary knowledge and resources.

2. Identifying stressors
   Use methods such as employee surveys, workshops, or observations to identify mental stress in daily work. With teamecho, you can conduct the entire survey process digitally and efficiently.

3. Analysis and assessment
   The collected data is analyzed to identify the causes of mental stress. Based on this, you develop targeted measures.

4. Implementation of measures
   Define specific actions aimed at the identified stressors. Priority should be given to measures that affect the work environment or organizational structure.

5. Effectiveness review
   After some time, check whether the measures have been successful. With teamecho, you receive real-time feedback and can continuously monitor the impact of your actions.

6. Documentation
   Record all steps and results to demonstrate compliance with your legal obligations during a review.

Measures to reduce mental stress

Depending on the identified stressors, there are different measures you can take. Here are some examples:

• Improve the work environment: Clear structures and good communication within the team can already reduce many mental stress factors.
• Stress management programs: Offer your employees programs to manage stress.
• Promote work-life balance: Flexible working hours or the option to work from home can help lower stress levels.

It’s important that the measures are tailored to your team and specific challenges. teamecho helps you implement targeted actions and continuously monitor their success.

How does teamecho support risk assessment?

teamecho offers you an innovative solution to measure and manage mental stress in your company. Here are some benefits:

• Real-time feedback: You receive continuous feedback from your team and can identify changes early.
• Automatic analysis: teamecho automatically analyzes the survey results and presents them in clear dashboards.
• Legal compliance: The surveys are scientifically validated and comply with legal requirements in Germany and Austria.
• Easy integration: teamecho seamlessly integrates into your workday. You can cover all the important steps of risk assessment—from the survey to effectiveness review—with teamecho.

With teamecho, you can continuously measure the team’s mood and respond early to potential mental stress. This way, you ensure legal compliance quickly and easily!

Compliant with the law, healthy employees

Risk assessment is a crucial step in protecting the mental health of your employees. It offers not only legal security but also the opportunity to create a healthier, more productive work environment.

With teamecho by your side, the risk assessment process becomes a breeze. You get the tools you need to support your team and keep an eye on mental stress. After all, healthy and satisfied employees are key to a successful company.

Have more questions? teamecho is always here to help—just ask!