Introduction
In today's fast-paced work environment, managing psychosocial hazards has become a critical aspect of ensuring a safe and healthy workplace. These hazards, which include issues such as workplace bullying, harassment, and other forms of negative behaviour, can significantly impact the wellbeing of employees and the overall productivity of a business. Recognising this, SafeWork NSW has developed a comprehensive Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, providing employers with practical guidance on how to address these issues effectively.
The Code of Practice emphasises the importance of developing safe systems of work in consultation with workers, regularly reviewing these systems to ensure their ongoing appropriateness, and complying with legal obligations under relevant legislation. It outlines a systematic risk management process that includes hazard identification, risk assessment, control measures, and ongoing monitoring and review. The Code also highlights the need for employers to provide their workers with appropriate training and support.
How do you meet the requirements?
Meeting the requirements of this Code requires an approach that addresses not only the physical safety of workers but also their psychological wellbeing. This is where Scratchie, a safety rewards platform, comes into play. Scratchie offers a unique solution that aligns with the recommendations of the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice, helping businesses manage psychosocial hazards effectively and demonstrate their commitment to creating a safe and healthy work environment.
Scratchie, founded by two Australian construction industry veterans, is an innovative app designed to enhance safety in the workplace by rewarding safe behaviour. The app allows supervisors to issue on-the-spot rewards to workers who demonstrate a positive safety attitude, motivating them to be more engaged and attentive. This approach not only promotes a culture of safety but also fosters a respectful and inclusive work environment, which is key to managing psychosocial hazards. More on this below.
What are Psychosocial Hazards?
Psychosocial hazards are aspects of work that have the potential to cause psychological or physical harm. These can include factors such as high job demands, low job control, poor support, unclear expectations, and exposure to violence or harassment. When not managed properly, these hazards can lead to stress, burnout, anxiety, and even physical health issues among employees.
The SafeWork NSW Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work provides a comprehensive guide for employers to identify and manage these hazards effectively. The Code emphasises the importance of involving workers in the process, providing them with appropriate training and support, and regularly reviewing the systems in place to ensure their ongoing appropriateness.
What is the NSW Government looking for with this Code of Practice?
The NSW government, through the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, is looking for businesses to effectively manage and address psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
The code aims to ensure that businesses fulfill their legal obligations under the NSW Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and create safe and healthy work environments for their employees.
By following this code of practice, the NSW government expects businesses to:
1. Assess and identify psychosocial hazards:
Businesses should conduct thorough assessments to identify potential psychosocial hazards in the workplace, such as workplace bullying, harassment, and other negative workplace behaviors.
2. Implement control measures:
Businesses are expected to implement appropriate control measures to mitigate the identified psychosocial hazards. This may include developing policies and procedures, providing training and education, and establishing clear channels of communication for reporting and addressing workplace issues.
3. Involve workers in the process:
The NSW government encourages businesses to actively involve workers in the risk management process. This includes consulting with workers, seeking their input and feedback, and providing them with the necessary training and support to effectively manage psychosocial hazards.
4. Continuously review and improve:
Businesses should regularly review the effectiveness of control measures and make necessary adjustments based on feedback, data, and emerging trends. This ongoing review and improvement process ensures that the management of psychosocial hazards remains effective and responsive to changing circumstances.
Overall, the NSW government expects businesses to prioritise the health, safety, and well-being of their employees by proactively managing psychosocial hazards in accordance with the code of practice. Compliance with this code demonstrates a commitment to meeting legal obligations and creating a positive work environment.
Introducing Scratchie: A Solution for Managing Psychosocial Hazards
Scratchie, a safety rewards platform, offers a unique solution that aligns well with the recommendations of the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice. By promoting positive workplace behaviour and encouraging the reporting and addressing of workplace issues, Scratchie helps businesses create a safe and healthy work environment.
Scratchie can incentivise and reward employees for demonstrating positive behaviour, fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment. The platform provides a confidential and accessible channel for employees to report concerns or incidents, ensuring timely intervention and resolution. Scratchie can also be used to reinforce training on psychosocial hazards by offering quizzes, educational resources, and rewards for completing relevant modules.
Furthermore, Scratchie facilitates communication and engagement by serving as a tool for employers to share updates, policies, and resources related to psychosocial hazards. It also enables employees to provide feedback and suggestions, promoting a culture of open dialogue and continuous improvement.
How Scratchie Works
Scratchie is designed to be user-friendly and straightforward, making it easy for both employers and employees to use. When a supervisor observes a worker demonstrating a positive safety attitude, they can open the Scratchie app and create an award. This award is categorised based on the specific safety activity, allowing employers to target and reward specific behaviours they wish to promote.
The app then generates a QR code, which the worker scans with their Scratchie app. After a brief countdown, the award is made, and the winner can immediately see their reward on their device. This reward can be claimed instantly and transferred to the winner's bank account, providing immediate positive reinforcement for safe behaviour.
Key Features of Scratchie
Scratchie offers a range of features that make it a powerful tool for managing psychosocial hazards in the workplace:
- Categorised rewards: Scratchie issues rewards based on specific safety activities, allowing decision-makers to target particular behaviours they wish to promote.
- Immediate, on-the-spot rewards: Psychologists agree that rewards need to be “temporally adjacent” to the said activity, meaning that they need to occur as soon after the desired behaviour occurs in order to be effective.
- Compelling lead-indicator data: Scratchie records who is being awarded, for what behaviour, by whom, at what time. Aggregating this data can provide meaningful safety lead indicators.
- Gamification: Scratchie brings some positivity back into safety, rather than have it be the “necessary evil” that it has been over the past three decades.
- Integration with safety platforms: Scratchie plans to integrate with construction industry safety platforms, enabling them to issue rewards through their app, "Powered by Scratchie."
- Unlimited categories: Each industry can create their own categories to reward people for specific behaviours, ensuring a tailored approach to safety needs and regulations.
- Security: Ensuring the security of the app and user data is a top priority for Scratchie. The app resides on encrypted AWS load balanced servers with a Wazuh layer for added security.
Case Study: Scratchie in Action
To illustrate the effectiveness of Scratchie, let's consider a real-world example. Surveys have shown that Scratchie improves safety attitudes by 28%, and is preferred by 96% of workers, due to its paradigm of recognising and rewarding positive behaviours.
Steve Taunton, a Senior Project Manager at Buildcorp, shared his experience with Scratchie: "For too long in the industry, the only tool we had to improve safety was the stick: to punish workers when they weren't safe. This is not very motivating. Now, finally, we have a carrot: we can encourage workers to be safe. This is great for morale and overall employee wellness."
This testimonial highlights the transformative impact Scratchie can have on a workplace, shifting the focus from punishment to positive reinforcement and fostering a culture of safety and respect.
Conclusion
Managing psychosocial hazards at work is a complex task, but with the right tools, it becomes significantly more manageable. Scratchie, with its innovative approach to safety rewards, aligns perfectly with the recommendations of the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice, providing a practical solution for businesses to manage these hazards effectively.
By promoting positive workplace behaviour, encouraging the reporting and addressing of workplace issues, and providing a platform for communication and engagement, Scratchie can help create a safe and healthy work environment. Its user-friendly design, immediate rewards, and compelling lead-indicator data make it a powerful tool for any business looking to improve their approach to safety.
If you're interested in learning more about how Scratchie can help your business manage psychosocial hazards and comply with the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice, visit https://www.scratchie.com/pricing or email us at hello@scratchie.com to start the conversation.
Remember, a safe workplace is a productive workplace. Let Scratchie help you create an environment where everyone can thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is Scratchie and how does it help manage psychosocial hazards at work?
A1: Scratchie is a safety rewards platform that incentivises and rewards employees for demonstrating positive behaviour in the workplace. It aligns with the recommendations of the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, promoting a respectful and inclusive work environment, encouraging the reporting and addressing of workplace issues, and providing a platform for communication and engagement.
Q2: How does Scratchie work?
A2: When a supervisor observes a worker demonstrating a positive safety attitude, they can open the Scratchie app and create an award. This award is categorised based on the specific safety activity. The app then generates a QR code, which the worker scans with their Scratchie app. After a brief countdown, the award is made, and the winner can immediately see their reward on their device. This reward can be claimed instantly and transferred to the winner's bank account.
Q3: What are some key features of Scratchie?
A3: Scratchie offers a range of features including categorised rewards, immediate on-the-spot rewards, compelling lead-indicator data, gamification, integration with safety platforms, unlimited categories, and top-notch security.
Q4: How does Scratchie ensure fairness in the rewards system?
A4: Scratchie ensures fairness through transparency and by removing agency from the award giver. The reward giver does not know how much is being awarded as this is deliberately randomised. Transparency of who is being awarded for what, by whom, keeps award givers motivated to simply give awards for safe behaviour.
Q5: How can I find the NSW Managing Psychosocial Hazards Code of Practice?
A5: Here it is: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/983353/Code-of-Practice_Managing-psychosocial-hazards.pdf
Q6: How can I implement Scratchie in my workplace?
A6: Implementing Scratchie is very simple. You can visit https://www.scratchie.com/pricing or email hello@scratchie.com to start the conversation.
