Understanding psychosocial risks: a three-level approach to protect your employees

Psychosocial risks (RPS) are often perceived as a complex, even worrisome, subject. And yet, understanding and managing these risks is not just a question of legislation or crisis situations. It is above all a opportunity to improve the daily life of your employees and create a work environment where they feel good, serene and fully engaged.

At Qualisocial, we strongly believe that a proactive, multi-level approach allows prevent, improve and effectively support the management of psychosocial risks (RPS). By adopting a simple, accessible and adapted approach, you can not only protect the mental health of your teams, but also boost the performance of your business.

What are the psychosocial risks (PSR)?

Psychosocial risks (PSR) affect several facets of daily work: stress, stalking, Burn-out, anxiety, conflicts... These situations can affect both individuals and the business as a whole.

🧠 Definition: Psychosocial risks (PSR) refer to all work-related factors that can harm the mental and physical health of employees. This includes stress, harassment, burn-out, conflicts, and excessive pressure. These risks occur when the demands of work are too high compared to the resources and support employees have to deal with them.

The impact of RPS on employees: a daily discomfort

RPS, if they are not taken care of, have direct consequences for employees. For example: Chronic stress can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, causing conditions such as anxiety or difficulty concentrating.. As well as, the conflicts recurring or the stalking generate a climate of distrust and isolation, affecting motivation and well-being at work. In the long term, this discomfort can lead to burn-outs that seriously degrade the mental health of employees, taking them away from work for a long time.

Employees affected by these risks become less committed, less creative and less productive. Their emotional state fluctuates, which affects their performance and job satisfaction. Moreover, a majority of French employees express a loss of commitment. According to the QVCT 2024 Barometer by Qualisocial in partnership with IPSOS, 67% of employees say they go to work mechanically, without motivation, or even backwards. This disengagement is indicative of a profound malaise that is affecting more and more sectors of activity. If we take the QVCT 2025 barometer This time, we note that an employee with low confidence in the future is 4.3 times more likely to be in poor mental health. Among people in good mental health, there is 2.4 x more ability to concentrate, and +40% more engagement at work compared to employees with poor mental health.

“Psychosocial risks are not just a question of legislation or numbers. These are concrete situations that employees experience every day. When an employee feels permanently overloaded, when they no longer find meaning in their work or when they are under daily pressure, this goes beyond simple stress. It is a suffering that impacts one's well-being on a daily basis and which, if not taken care of, can have major consequences in terms of mental health. As an occupational psychologist, I have observed that what sets a proactive company apart is its ability to listen to and understand these signals before they turn into serious suffering. That is why prevention must be a collective commitment, based on a human, transparent and continuous approach.” Clelia Sacadura; Occupational psychologist & Director of Expertise at Qualisocial.

The impact of RPS on business: an invisible but real cost

Psychosocial risks therefore do not only affect individuals, they also have a profound impact on the company.. Indeed, stressed or demoralized employees are less productive, less involved in their missions, and less able to face daily challenges. Absenteeism due to problems with sanity is increasing, as is the turnover rate. This leads to direct costs (replacement, recruitment, training) and indirect costs (reduced performance, poor working environment, presenteeism).

These consequences can affect the general atmosphere within the company, generating a loss of cohesion between teams And a Decreased overall motivation. Employee engagement suffers, which directly impacts the quality of work and the ability to achieve collective goals.

Preventing psychosocial risks: working beforehand (Primary prevention)

Primary prevention consists in acting beforehand to avoid the onset of psychosocial risks.. At Qualisocial, we implement concrete actions to guarantee a healthy and productive work environment.

💡 The main thing to remember: The objective of primary prevention is to act beforehand to avoid the appearance of PSR, before they impact workers.

✔️ RPS Audits and Surveys : carrying out audits and RPS surveys to identify the psychosocial risk factors and the protective factors of a work group in your company. This makes it possible to act quickly and to implement solutions adapted to work constraints that can generate stress, conflicts and harassment.

✔️QVCT barometer : use of a QVCT barometer to regularly analyze the state of working conditions and the well-being of employees, in order to detect areas of tension and to act beforehand.

✔️ DUERP update : support in updating the DUERP, ensuring that all risks are assessed and that preventive measures are put in place to anticipate any problems.

✔️ Human impact studies : in a context of transformation, carrying out human impact studies to assess the risks caused by changes on professionals in order to implement targeted support measures

Improving the management of psychosocial risks: supporting employees (Secondary prevention)

Secondary prevention aims to limit the impact of psychosocial risks on workers. by helping them better manage stressors when they are exposed At Qualisocial, we work to strengthen the capacities of employees and managers to react to RPS, in order to preserve their well-being on a daily basis.

💡 The main thing to remember: The objective of secondary prevention is to help employees better manage stressors when they are exposed to them.. How? By organizing, for example, training sessions on managing stress and emotions.

✔️ Stress Management Trainings and conflicts : strengthening the skills of managers and employees to better manage stress and conflicts in companies, in order to maintain mental health and team cohesion.

✔️ Prevention campaigns : implementation of regular awareness campaigns to inform teams about psychosocial risks, provide them with practical tools and encourage a culture of prevention within the company.

✔️ Professional practice analysis workshops : organization of workshops allowing teams to discuss their professional experiences and identify collective solutions to improve work practices and Prevent RPS.

✔️ Co-development workshops : animation of co-development workshops to encourage the exchange of ideas and best practices between employees, thus strengthening collaboration and well-being at work.

Supporting employees in the face of psychosocial risks (Tertiary prevention)

Tertiary prevention intervenes once a situation of suffering is already present. After a difficult period, it is crucial to put in place appropriate support to enable employees to rebuild and return to work peacefully. At Qualisocial, we offer personalized support and concrete solutions to help your teams overcome moments of suffering, while maintaining their well-being and productivity.

💡 The main thing to remember: Tertiary prevention aims to limit the consequences of psychosocial risks on health and to support employees facing a crisis situation. How? For example, by supporting an employee after professional exhaustion or by setting up appropriate follow-up following a traumatic event (harassment, aggression, death of a colleague, etc.).

✔️ Psychological, social and legal support : Implementation of concrete solutions to support employees in difficult situations, with personalized support adapted to their needs. This may include, for example, psychological support on site after a traumatic event (death, assault, etc.), as well as social and legal support to help teams get through these challenges.

✔️ Mediation : intervention to resolve internal conflicts in companies, with the objective of restoring a serene working climate and strengthening cohesion between employees.

✔️ Investigations following alerts of harassment, violence and discrimination : carrying out in-depth investigations to shed light on reported facts that may constitute a violation of the company's internal rules or a violation of current legislation, in order to take, if necessary, any measures appropriate to the situation.

It is certain that The impact of RPS goes beyond individuals. By not taking into account the well-being of your employees, you could see your work climate gradually deteriorate, which could compromise the company's achievements. A team in difficulty is not in a position to meet ambitious goals. On the other hand, A company that invests in the management of psychosocial risks creates an environment where employees are more committed, more productive and more motivated to contribute to the growth of the company.

Prevent the psychosocial risks in your business today, see the results tomorrow. By opting for effective PSR prevention, you improve the well-being and mental health of your employees, generating better motivation and increased commitment. Questions about psychosocial risks? Contact us !