A Real Success Story: Psychosocial Risk Management

Client Context

Logan City Council (LCC) is one of the largest local government authorities in Queensland, serving a diverse and growing community. With increasing expectations around psychological safety in the workplace, LCC recognised the importance of embedding robust governance and risk management processes that reflect both legislative obligations and the realities of a complex operational environment.

The development of a psychosocial risk management plan formed part of a broader organisational initiative to strengthen workplace safety systems and support psychologically safe leadership.

Project Overview

In 2024, Organisational Risk Consulting (ORC), led by Principal Consultant Andrea Paynter, was engaged as part of a wider initiative to support Logan City Council’s approach to psychosocial risk. ORC was responsible for consolidating existing materials, aligning them with contemporary standards, and developing a draft Psychosocial Risk Management Plan for presentation to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

The project was designed to support LCC’s compliance with Queensland’s Managing the Risk of Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2022 and to align with international standard ISO 45003:2021 Occupational Health and Safety Management, Psychological Health and Safety at Work.

Our Comprehensive Approach

Delivered over two phases in 2024, ORC’s role focused on integrating diverse inputs into a cohesive, governance-level document. The approach balanced compliance expectations with the operational and cultural context of the Council.

Regular engagement with LCC’s internal leads ensured the draft plan was responsive to emerging needs and positioned for senior leadership review.

Outcomes Achieved

• Compliance Confidence: Delivered a high-level draft plan aligned with WHS legislation and ISO 45003, clearly articulating leadership roles, consultation pathways, and organisational controls for psychosocial risk.
• Strategic Contribution: Synthesised inputs across multiple workstreams into a coherent framework, tailored for executive-level consideration and future integration.

Ongoing Impact

The draft Psychosocial Risk Management Plan, developed by ORC, was accepted by the project lead and subsequently submitted to Logan City Council’s Executive Leadership Team. The Plan provides a structured foundation to support future decisions, reinforce duty of care obligations, and promote psychosocial risk management practices across the Council. Its adoption and implementation remain at the discretion of the organisation.

Client Feedback

“I have the pleasure of working with Andrea Paynter from Organisational Risk Consulting on the development of our draft Psychosocial Risk Management Plan. This project began earlier in 2024, with a draft version not progressed at that time for our own business reasons. Further work on the refocused version commenced in early October 2024 and continued through to now.

Throughout this period, Andrea has demonstrated exceptional professionalism and expertise. She is a focused listener, keen to meet her brief while adding significant value through her extensive industry knowledge and areas of expertise. Andrea's ability to provide balanced and differing views has greatly enhanced our project, and she approaches every challenge with a positive attitude and a willingness to go the extra mile.

One of Andrea's standout qualities is her openness to different perspectives. She is not precious about holding to her position for the sake of it; instead, she is open to seeing things differently and partnering to build from there. This collaborative approach has been instrumental in the success of our project.

Andrea's turnaround times are excellent, and she consistently honours her commitments. She provides full disclosure of potential complications, which is a quality I deeply respect and expect from a consultant. Her dedication to understanding our business and the prevailing issues in the broader environment is evident in the high-quality work she produces. It is clear that she takes the time to read and digest all the material she is provided with, ensuring that her contributions are well-informed and impactful.

In summary, Andrea is a highly skilled and dedicated professional who brings significant value to any project she undertakes. Her expertise, commitment, flexibility and collaborative spirit make her an asset to any team. She understands the nuances of the subject area and we've also enjoyed a few good laughs (appropriately, of course!) along the way. I highly recommend Andrea for any consulting role, particularly in the area of psychosocial risk management.”

— John Rodriquez, Psychosocial Safety Project Lead, Logan City  Council (December 2024)