Role overload (high workloads or job demands)

On this page:

• What is a role overload?
• Risks related to role overload
• How to manage the risks
• Resources

What is a role overload?

Role overload happens when the demands of a worker’s job are more than they can handle with the time, ability, or resources available to do it safely and well.

For example, where there is:

• too much to do in a set time or with insufficient workers and resources
• unachievable task deadlines, expectations or responsibilities
• unpredictable shifts, shift structures, hours of work or rosters that do not allow adequate time for workers to recover
• frequent cognitively difficult work
• multiple tasks that require repeated rapid switching between each to complete them, so it is difficult to concentrate
• sustained or frequent exposure to emotionally distressing situations
• a requirement for workers to continually show false displays of emotion, for example customer service roles
• tasks or decisions that are safety critical and that may have a serious impact on the health and safety of workers and others.

Risks related to role overload

Impacts can include:

• emotional and cognitive reactions such as frustration, stress, anxiety and burnout
• behavioural changes such as withdrawal from work activities, reduced quality of work and high error rates
• increased safety incidents
• low trust, lower productivity and increased conflict within teams.

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 overload, 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 overload 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 overload. 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 overload.

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 the workplace to minimise demanding roles and tasks. For example, locate a storeroom next to the loading dock so deliveries do not require double handling.
• Manage supply chain systems to avoid large fluctuations in demand such as delays in supply causing a backlog of orders.
• Schedule tasks to avoid intense or sustained low or high job demands. For example, schedule non-urgent work for quieter periods.
• Establish a rotation system to enable workers to be rotated through demanding or repetitive tasks.
• Provide adequate and additional resources to meet demands. For example:
  • roster more workers on over long or busy shifts to ensure breaks are taken
  • have a system to manage worker absences
  • consider automated and robotic functions to reduce physical demands and manage time
  • provide fit for purpose equipment
  • outsource tasks.
• Design and develop recruitment processes and systems that allow for prompt backfilling of roles, redistribution of work or new recruits when workers are on leave or leave the business. For example, creating a talent pool.
• Provide training to ensure workers have the skills to meet work demands.
• Empower workers in situations where they face high emotional demands. For example, allow discretion in providing refunds where appropriate to avoid customer aggression or distress.
• If emotional demands are an unavoidable part of a worker’s role, ensure these are captured in the position description and applicants are informed at the pre-selection stage (such as during an interview) of the demanding nature of the role.
• Provide workers and managers with information, instruction and training related to recognising the symptoms of fatigue and burnout, reporting psychosocial hazards within the business and fatigue management.

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.
• Job demands – Safe Work Australia. This resource provides guidance to PCBUs for identifying, assessing, and controlling risks related to workload, time pressure, and emotional demands to support employee wellbeing and compliance with WHS duties.
• Right to disconnect – Fair Work Ombudsman. This resource explains employees’ rights to disconnect from work outside of hours, including protections under the Fair Work Act 2009. It helps employers and workers understand boundaries around communication, promoting work-life balance and reducing burnout.
• 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.