Our Position

Resolution: Psychosocial risks need their own directive

Adopted by the Eurocadres General Assembly 17 Oct. 2019, Lisbon.

Eliminating psychosocial risks at the workplace is a key demand for Eurocadres. Occupational health and safety must tackle both physical and mental wellbeing. Today, exhaustion and burnout from work-related stress are the biggest modern occupational diseases of our time. Being constantly available and reachable as a professional or manager, due the increasing application of technologies, emphasises the risk of being overburdened with work.

The framework directive on occupational safety and health obliges employers to protect workers from all kinds of risks – also from psychosocial health risks. But the reality looks different. In most member states the legislation is simply not clear enough, which responsibilities lie on the employer regarding psychosocial factors. Of all managers, 42% find it more difficult to deal with psychosocial health rather than other forms of occupational health and safety work. A clear legislation on healthy organisational and social working environment is needed.

We demand that:

  • the European Commission involves the Social Partners in creating a Directive on Psychosocial Risks
  • the European Commission (2019-2024) publishes a directive proposal during this mandate