Psychosocial Complaints: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know in 2025
- Tim Dive
- Mar 21
- 3 min read
Psychosocial hazards are no longer just an HR concern, they’re a frontline Work Health and Safety (WHS) risk and joint responsibility of each department.
But - the risk is yours, if you’re a business owner, board director, or manager, it’s time to realise the real and immediate risks you're facing in 2025 and beyond.
Here at The HR Cartel, we’re hearing from businesses than ever before who are concerned about facing serious scrutiny, not because anyone was harmed, but because the risk of harm is enough to trigger investigations.
Regulators are knocking, and they’re not waiting for an invitation.
What You Need to Know Now
Here’s our straight-talking breakdown of the key issues every employer needs to get across, before a complaint lands on your desk (or a regulator walks in your door).
1. If "Risk" is present, this is all they need to investigate you:
Even if there’s no actual injury or damage, the potential or risk of harm is enough for a regulator to act. You don’t need an incident for your business to be investigated.
2. Regulators Move Fast (Think 48 Hours)
Serious psychosocial complaints may see WHS regulators acting very quickly. We’re hearing about site visits, requests for documentation, and interviews happening almost immediately.
3. You’re Expected to Have Your House in Order—Right Now
Regulators expect you to provide:
Psychosocial hazard risk assessments
A written plan identifying your risks and controls
Evidence that you consulted with workers
Training records - on the identified hazards and their controls
Complaint handling procedures that actually work in your workplace
If you can’t produce these, you’re exposed.
4. Control Measures Must Be Working (and Tested Regularly)
It's not enough to have a policy on paper. You must implement, monitor, and review your control measures. Regulators expect you to show evidence that these are effective, and you should be testing them regularly.
5. WHS and HR Need to Work Together. No Silos
Psychosocial risks sit under WHS. That means it’s a legal duty, not a ‘nice-to-have’ HR initiative. If your HR and WHS teams aren’t aligned, you’re at risk.
6. You Have an Investigation Window
Once a complaint is raised, there’s a lengthy window where regulators can act. If you’ve made improvements since the complaint was first lodged, this can help, but it doesn’t erase past failings.
7. Directors and Leaders Are Personally Liable
Business owners, directors, and managers, this lands on you. Failing to manage psychosocial risks is a breach of WHS law, exposing you personally to fines, improvement notices, prohibition notices, and in serious cases, criminal charges.
What Does This Mean for You?
The days of thinking, “It won’t happen to us” are over. Psychosocial complaints are on the rise, and the regulators aren’t backing down.
New laws aren't made, simply to make law students have to read more books. Tribunals are required to use them, and they certainly are.
We urge employers to have:
Legally compliant policies and plans
Practical control measures in place
A strategy for handling psychosocial complaints quickly and safely
Peace of mind that they’re not sleepwalking into serious risk
Don’t Risk It.
If you’re not sure where you stand, or if you know you’re behind, we need to talk. We’re working with business owners and leaders across construction, manufacturing, retail, professional services, and more, helping them protect their businesses, their teams, and their own reputations.
Reach out to The HR Cartel today or call 07 5651 0066 to chat with our team.
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