Beyond EAP: Why Support Mechanisms Are Critical to Managing Psychosocial Risk in Your Workplace
What businesses in any industry can learn from NSW’s new psychological first aid mandate.
Recently, NSW took a necessary and forward-thinking step to protect the mental health of its frontline workforce: under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for First Responders 2025–2029, psychological first aid (PFA) training is now mandatory — not only for first responders and volunteers, but also for their leaders.
This isn’t limited to emergency services. Agencies like Transport for NSW, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Forestry Corporation are included too — recognising that exposure to trauma and high-stress situations can happen in many roles, not just those in health or emergency response.
Why it matters across industries
Psychosocial hazards, such as exposure to aggression, traumatic incidents, or sustained high workloads, are now formally recognised under WHS laws as risks that must be identified, assessed, and controlled like any other hazard.
Too often, though, support is treated as an add-on — something that gets offered after an issue has escalated. Many businesses lean heavily on Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to meet this obligation. And while EAPs play an important role, utilisation is often low. Workers may not feel comfortable reaching out to an anonymous service, especially when they’re overwhelmed or unsure.
Support isn’t just EAP
Support mechanisms need to be embedded into day-to-day operations. One powerful example is training colleagues in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). A peer, trained in how to listen, respond, and guide someone towards help, can be far more approachable than a phone number or pamphlet. It’s the difference between telling someone “Support is available” and actually making it accessible.
Whether you're managing a team in retail, logistics, manufacturing, education, or corporate services — the principle remains the same:
Support needs to be timely, practical, and built into how you manage people.
This includes during critical processes like performance management or return-to-work discussions. How is mental health considered in these interactions? Are your leaders equipped to recognise distress and offer a pathway to support — or is it left to chance.
A reminder of your obligations
Under WHS legislation, managing psychosocial risks requires a proactive and layered approach. This includes:
Identifying the psychosocial hazards your workforce may face
Implementing controls (e.g., workload planning, respectful workplace culture)
Providing appropriate training and support systems
Monitoring effectiveness and consulting workers
Support is not a standalone fix — but it is an important part of a broader risk control framework.
The opportunity for all businesses
NSW’s mandatory approach to PFA may focus on public agencies, but the underlying message applies across all industries: psychological harm is preventable. By embedding accessible, evidence-informed supports like Mental Health First Aid, we can move from a reactive mindset to a culture of care and prevention.
If your business is still relying on EAP alone, it might be time to ask, is that really enough?
How Risk Collective Can Help
We offer public and in-house Mental Health First Aid training, led by our accredited trainer Kathryn Drake, as well as engaging mental health training for leaders and capability-building workshops on how to support employees, delivered by our workplace psychologist Steven Booker.
We’ve got MHFA courses running in Brisbane this week and Sydney in May.
If you’re ready to take the next step in building a mentally healthy workplace, get in touch, we’d love to support you