Psychological demands refer to the cognitive, emotional, and attentional requirements of a job.
This article was written as part of an ongoing series to highlight the 13 factors of a Psychologically Healthy and Safe workplace. In this feature, we focus on Psychological Demands.
Whether you work in a research lab, operate specialized equipment, support students, teach in a classroom, or work in an office setting, there is a long history at UBC of investing in processes, procedures, and training to help people safely navigate the physical demands of their roles. This includes everything from lab safety protocols and fieldwork training to ergonomics and equipment use. But what about the psychological demands of the workplace?
Psychological demands can show up in many ways, such as supporting students in distress; managing heavy research or grant deadlines; responding to competing academic and administrative priorities; working in emotionally charged clinical or care environments; or navigating complex interpersonal dynamics.
Why psychological demands can become a risk
While physical demand risks have long been identified and managed, excessive psychological demands have not received the same systematic attention. When psychological demands are high and employee control is low over a sustained period, this can contribute to stress, burnout, and increased risk of injury.
In a high-performing and competitive institution like UBC, high job demands can sometimes be normalized in the pursuit of excellence. Fortunately, approaches such as prioritizing autonomy, social support and opportunities for personal development can buffer against these impacts. These psychological demands must be better identified, understood and managed by making changes to help employees thrive.
Psychological demands can include:
- Unreasonable workload or timelines
- High-stakes decisions where a mistake could have serious consequences for a person’s reputation, career, safety, legal standing, or finances.
- Exposure to traumatic situations.
- Dealing with conflict.
- Frequent change with poor change management
What helps reduce risk
Psychological Demands are most effective when organizations take a structured, systems-based approach aligned with building psychological health and safety. Effective practices include:
- Reviewing work design and exploring ways to adjust systems and practices that contribute to excessive demands.
- Assessing psychological demands alongside job control and autonomy.
- Monitoring problematic workplace behaviours and norms that affect psychosocial safety.
- Seeking employee input, particularly during periods of change.
- Supporting recruitment, training, and promotion practices that emphasize interpersonal competence.
(These practices were adapted from WCB Nova Scotia.)
What can you do?
Consider coaching
Faculty, staff, and leaders who wish to better reflect on, understand or take action to manage the psychological demands of their role may also consider accessing UBC Coaching Services.
Coaching is a confidential partnership that helps you reflect, gain clarity, and take purposeful action in your work and career. It is an inquiry-based process with the coach acting as a thinking partner who supports goal setting and accountability.
UBC Coaching Services is offered at no cost to eligible faculty and staff.
UBC is committed to wellbeing in the workplace
Nurturing a strong and vibrant UBC community is a key pillar of UBC’s Strategic Directions 2025–2030, and alongside the refresh of UBC’s Wellbeing Strategic Framework, the university is well positioned to work towards a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. This strategic focus on wellbeing helps create teaching, learning, and work environments that attract and support students, faculty, and staff in contributing to the university’s mission—all with a view to making UBC a great place to work.
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- HR
- Psychological health and safety
- Healthy UBC