Mental workload is also an occupational risk. An office with constant rush, endless messages or isolation can harm health as much as a bad chair. This lesson explains the most common psychosocial risks in offices and in remote work.
What psychosocial risks are
They are conditions of the organisation of work that can affect mental and physical health: pace, workload, breaks, working hours, autonomy, communication, and support from colleagues and managers.
Real Decreto 488/1997 already requires mental workload to be assessed in screen jobs. Ley 10/2021 asks for psychosocial factors to be considered in remote work.
Frequent causes
The INSST points to the following, among other causes of mental fatigue in screen jobs:
- time pressure and lack of breaks;
- difficulties in handling the software;
- constant interruptions;
- monotonous tasks or too many demands at once;
- shortcomings in organisation.
Technostress
Technostress is a negative psychological state related to the use of information and communication technologies, or to the threat of using them in the future. It resembles stress, but it is caused by technology: constant alerts, software that keeps changing, the feeling of always having to be reachable.
Warning signs: persistent tiredness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, fear of opening your email.
Isolation and switching off
In remote work, the INSST highlights two risks:
- isolation: less contact with colleagues and less support;
- difficulty switching off, when work invades rest time and personal life.
That is why Ley 10/2021 recognises the right to digital disconnection (article 18) and asks for an internal policy from the employer. You do not have to answer work messages outside your working hours, except what has been lawfully agreed, such as the availability times in the agreement.
How they are assessed
The INSST has a method for assessing psychosocial factors, FPSICO (described in NTP 926). NTP 1165 explains how to integrate remote work into the safety and health management system. NTPs (technical prevention notes) are technical guidance notes: they are not laws, but they help apply them.
What the employer can do
- Plan workloads and deadlines well.
- Set clear working hours and availability times.
- Make breaks easy, even with software that reminds you.
- Keep regular contact with those who work remotely.
- Train all staff, including managers, in digital disconnection.
What you can do
- Take breaks and look after your sleep and rest.
- Set working hours and a routine, and stick to them.
- Stay in touch with your team.
- Tell your manager or the prevention service if the workload is excessive. Reporting a risk is a duty (article 29) and a right.
- If you suffer harassment or humiliating treatment, use your employer's protocol or ask for help. Harassment is not a problem of character: it is a risk the employer must prevent.
If you have symptoms that worry you, see your doctor. This course does not replace medical advice.