Psychosocial risk management to safeguard UNHCR staff wellbeing
Challenge
UN personnel demonstrably face higher psychosocial hazards at work as compared to other sectors, which can negatively affect the mental health and wellbeing of the workforce and have knock-on effects on organizational productivity.
Solution
Strengthen UNHCR’s data-driven and evidence-based approach to mental health by developing a scalable psychosocial risk management index, with a digital application to systematically identify and assess psychosocial risks as well as training material on its use.
Impact
This dashboard will deliver survey-based assessments and actionable insights via a centralized dashboard accessible to UNHCR operations and divisions, streamlining the identification and management of psychosocial risks, and ultimately aiming to enhance staff well-being and organizational effectiveness.
Project impact
Other information
UNHCR had no systematic way to identify and mitigate the psychosocial risks affecting its workforce, despite increasing evidence that humanitarian staff face high exposure to stress, burnout and harmful workplace dynamics. Funded by the Data Innovation Fund, this project delivered the first digital Psychosocial Risk Management (PSRM) system for UNHCR, adapting ISO 45003 and COPSOQ international standards to humanitarian realities together with the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology. The tool combines a validated multilingual survey, an AI-powered analytics dashboard and a dynamic, evidence-based mitigation catalogue, all integrated into UNHCR's Enterprise Risk Management cycle. Already piloted with 1,706 staff across 15 operations, the model is now being replicated across the UN system (UNICEF, ILO, WIPO, WFP), positioning UNHCR as a leader in sustainable and healthy humanitarian workplaces. Read more about the project in UN Today.