A Review of Occupational Stress Interventions in Australia

The authors investigated empirical research into occupational stress interventions conducted in Australia within the past 10 years. They focused on evidence published and the quality of the evidence base. All intervention studies were conducted in the public sector. Only 1 study reached the gold standard in evidence-based research. Most interventions were individually focused, despite the preponderance of research identifying risky work environment stressors. Results suggest a paucity of published information regarding what works with occupational stress interventions in Australia and an urgent need for further research in the area, particularly focusing on the private sector, rural workers, and scientific evaluation. The impact of stress in the workplace is well recognized, with both human and financial costs investigated in the literature. In Australia, employees are entitled to workers’ compensation for stress when the claimant’s employment significantly contributes to stress; this does not include situations in which reasonable disciplinary action or failure to obtain a promotion, transfer, or other benefit in relation to employment occurred. Most states in Australia report an increasing number of stress claims per annum, and although the percentage relative to all other claims is low, the cost per claim is generally much higher, as is the time absent from work (Dollard, Winefield, & Winefield, 2001). The cost and prevalence of stress