Psychosocial Risk Management and SDG in Businesses: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Sustainability means a company's ability to secure its long-term resources, anticipate its future needs and use resources efficiently and fairly in organizational activities. Social factors that contribute to adopting sustainability approaches include perception, motivation, learning, attitudes, beliefs, self-efficacy and culture.
The pandemic and its aftermath have brought different ways of working, sectors and related psychosocial factors to the forefront. The manufacturing industry recovered from the pandemic in 2021, but this recovery did not have the same impact in every country. Almost one in three jobs in the manufacturing industry were negatively affected during the pandemic. Higher-tech industries performed better and recovered faster, providing a strong example of how important technological innovation is for achieving the development goals on industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report, many studies have highlighted the negative impact of psychosocial risks on employee well-being. Indeed, research shows that in the long term, external stresses and fatigue can lead to hypertension, health problems and low productivity. Research in industries such as machine building and transportation has highlighted the need to investigate psychosocial factors, motivation and attitudes towards work in order to increase the level of engagement in the enterprise system. The problems experienced by motorcycle couriers with increasing demand are raised in the ILO's relevant report and recommendations for improvement are discussed.
Comprehensive psychosocial risk management creates opportunities for businesses and the sectors and industries they work in to thrive by strengthening industrial progress, innovation and systemic infrastructures.
References
Dragan, F., Luo, C., Ivascu, L., & Ali, M. (1AD, January 1). Assessing the importance of psychosocial factors associated with sustainable organizational development during COVID-19. Frontiers. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647435/full
United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 9 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9#targets_and_indicators
Extrinsic psychosocial stressors and workers’ productivity. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337802705_Extrinsic_psychosocial_stressors_and_workers'_productivity_impact_of_employee_age_and_industry_experience
Küçük, N. (2022, February 13). Motosikletli Kuryeler odağında: Teslimat Sektörü çalışanlarında Psikososyal Risk Analizi. Rapor: Motosikletli Kuryeler Odağında: Teslimat Sektörü Çalışanlarında Psikososyal Risk Analizi. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.ilo.org/ankara/areas-of-work/osh/WCMS_837229/lang--tr/index.htm