Workers in South Australia are currently enjoying one of the best psychological health conditions in the world, according to new research conducted by the University of South Australia.

 

Researchers from the university’s Centre for Applied Psychological Research compared results from 661 SA employees with data collected from over 28,000 OHS managers from 31 European countries.

 

In a telephone interview, participants were asked whether their organisation had a procedure to deal with work-related stress, bullying or harassment in the work place, wherer employees were consulted regarding measures dealing with psychosocial risks and whter employees were actively encouraged to participate actively in the implementation of such measures.

 

The researchers found that South Australia ranked third behind Sweden and Ireland, with industries such as transport, mining and education topping the state’s results.

 

Leading the Australian Research Council funded Australian Workplace Barometer project, Professor Maureen Dollard also considered several points of bias.

 

“We have to consider the possibility that European OHS managers report conditions more favourably because positive results may be indicative of their performance,” Prof Dollard said.

 

“And overall the SA data may reflect a ‘healthy worker effect’ where those psychologically injured have already left the workforce.

 

“Alternatively one might argue that employees would report a much dimmer picture than managers which would have pushed SA down the ladder.”