Methodological Approaches to Identify and Evaluate Psychosocial Risks in Business Practice

In Germany, psychosocial risk assessments (PRA) are legally required. However, German legislation does not specify how PRA should be performed. This study explores operational procedures of PRA in 37 qualitative business case studies. Based on semistructured interviews with stakeholders (top and middle management, employee representatives, OSH officers) and documents, this study examines whether and how employers use methodological leeway beside normative recommendations to identify psychosocial risks. Results: The various methodological approaches follow three orientations that were employed more or less together: (1) measuring and evaluating constructs of the psychosocial work environment, (2) understanding and explaining problematic work situations associated with psychosocial risks, and (3) getting a document that is legally admissible to prove the PRA. Limitations of these orientations become apparent when the focus is only on one of these orientations. Further methodological development is needed for the (qualitative) approaches of understanding and explaining.