Role conflict or lack of role clarity

On this page:

• What is role conflict or lack of role clarity?
• Risks related to role conflict and lack of role clarity
• How to manage the risks
• Resources

What is role conflict or lack of role clarity?

Role conflict or lack of role clarity means workers cannot understand what is required of them as their job, expectations and responsibilities are unclear. Frequent changes to a worker’s role can also result in role conflict and increase the risk of stress.

Examples include:

• conflicting priorities within roles such as providing ‘good customer service’, but with insufficient time allowed to spend with customers
• where workers have overlapping responsibilities
• when important task-related information, instruction and training is not available
• reporting line structures are unclear
• work priorities are unclear, for example not knowing which tasks to prioritise over others
• uncertainty around roles, tenure, tasks and work schedules and standards. For example, frequent changes, lack of clear explanations about tasks or not providing clear performance agreements or reporting requirements.

Risks related to role conflict and lack of role clarity

Impacts can include:

• emotional and cognitive reactions such as frustration, anxiety about not knowing expectations and loss of confidence
• low trust, increased conflict within teams, and high error rates
• behavioural changes such as withdrawal from work activities
• stress and burnout.

It can also have social and economic costs for workers, their family and the business.

How to manage the risks

Employers/PCBUs

Under work, health and safety (WHS) laws, a person conducting a business of undertaking (PCBU) must take proactive steps to prevent risks associated with role conflict, where it is reasonably practicable.

PCBUs must:

• Eliminate health and safety risks at work, including psychosocial risks. If PCBUs are unable to eliminate risks, they must be minimised so far as is reasonably practicable.
• Manage risks associated with role conflict or lack of role clarity and consider applying the risk management process (PDF, 556.72 KB) to assist in meeting their duties. This process involves consulting with workers to identify, manage, control, and review risks related to the hazard.
• Identify and adopt effective control measures. Find information about how to do this on our psychosocial hazards page.

The Managing psychosocial hazards at work code of practice will help you meet your responsibilities under WHS laws in NSW.

Workers

While at work, workers must:

• take reasonable care for their own psychological and physical health and safety
• take reasonable care to make sure what they do, or don’t do, does not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons
• comply with reasonable health and safety instructions, as far as they are reasonably able, and
• cooperate with reasonable health and safety policies or procedures, for example, reporting workplace hazards and incidents.

Workers should report concerns to their employer if they experience harm related to role conflict. This will ensure they get support and the PCBU can take action to address the risk.

Examples of controls and actions

PCBUs must use the hierarchy of controls (PDF, 46.87 KB) and consider all relevant matters within Section 55D of the WHS Regulation 2025 when identifying appropriate control measures to eliminate and minimise the risk of role conflict.

When choosing control measures, you must consider all hazards  present and how they may interact and combine.

Here are some examples of controls that can help minimise harm.

• Design organisational structures with clear reporting lines and responsibilities.
• Redesign tasks or processes that frequently create conflict, confusion, or result in frequent mistakes.
• Consult with workers in a timely manner about workplace changes and decisions affecting them or their work and develop feedback mechanisms to encourage workers to speak up on changes that affect their work.
• Provide clear information, instruction and training to workers, explaining why roles, responsibilities and tasks have been allocated, and ensure workers understand performance needs.
• Provide an organisational chart that gives a clear view of structure and communication channels.
• Provide position descriptions that clearly outline tasks, responsibilities and role expectations.
• Provide all workers with an induction with role-specific training to ensure they understand their role.

Note: These are examples only. You must consult with workers to identify and implement control measures that eliminate or minimise the risks in your workplace, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Resources

• Managing psychosocial hazards at work code of practice – SafeWork NSW. Practical guidance on complying with WHS laws, including how to identify and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace.
• Designing work to manage psychosocial risks – SafeWork NSW. Practical support and information for PCBUs on using work design to manage the risk of psychosocial hazards.
• Psychosocial hazards – SafeWork NSW. Information about what psychosocial hazards are, their effects and how to manage them.
• A guide to supporting role clarity –  NSW Government. A guide offering practical strategies for leaders to reduce confusion, strengthen collaboration, and support psychological safety by ensuring everyone understands their purpose, tasks, and expectations.
• Psychosocial hazards request for service form – SafeWork NSW. Use this form to request assistance from SafeWork NSW. This can be useful if your business/workplace doesn’t have processes for you to report workplace conflict or you have reported it internally and no action is being taken.
• Psychosocial hazards service standards – SafeWork NSW. Information about what you can expect from SafeWork NSW, and what we expect from you when you raise a psychosocial hazard issue.