Healthy minds, safe workplaces: A shared responsibility for Sri Lanka’s future of work

A new ILO report estimates that across the world more than 840,000 workers die each year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risk factors at work 

She wakes before the mist clears. By the time most of Colombo is having breakfast, she has already been working for two hours, plucking, carrying, meeting a daily quota that does not change regardless of her rest, discomfort or nourishment. She works on a tea plantation and is among many others whose contributions are vital to the economy, yet whose experiences are not always reflected in any occupational health statistic. The pressure to meet quotas is often matched by anxiety over household finances, rising costs and caregiving responsibilities that leave little space for rest or recovery. The stress she carries home every evening has no official category. But it is real, and it can and does do harm. 

Psychosocial risks

This 28 April, World Day for Safety and Health at Work asks us to look more closely at something we have long struggled to fully recognise, that the way work is designed, organised and managed, the pressures it imposes, and the control it limits can affect health and wellbeing. Not only physically, but mentally and in ways that are often difficult to measure yet deeply felt. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises that psychosocial risks such as excessive workload, long or inflexible working hours, job insecurity, discrimination, harassment and bullying are serious occupational hazards, as equally important to physical, chemical or biological risks. 

A new International Labour Organisation (ILO) report released last week brings global attention to this reality. It estimates that across the world over 840,000 workers die each year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risk factors at work, including cardiovascular disease and mental health conditions. These figures point to a growing challenge that affects workplaces globally, including in Sri Lanka. 

Psychosocial risks shaped by elements of work and interactions at work are not new nor limited to Sri Lanka, but recent challenges have made them more visible and, in many cases, more acute. The past few years have tested Sri Lanka’s resilience with economic pressures, rising costs, dismantled livelihoods, and institutional strain. 

Workers in plantations, garment factories, construction sites and health services have absorbed much of that pressure. Women make up a large share of the plantation and apparel workforce, while men predominate in sectors such as construction and transport. At the same time, a significant share of Sri Lanka’s workforce is engaged in informal or otherwise vulnerable forms of employment, meaning psychosocial risks may be experienced differently across sectors and groups of workers, often without adequate protections or support. 

What the general evidence tells us, and this is important, is that psychosocial risks are not inevitable. These are factors that can be improved through practical and sustained efforts. This aligns closely with Sri Lanka’s current policy direction, where reducing excessive working hours and strengthening occupational safety and health are emerging priorities within broader labour and health frameworks. 

Looking beyond traditional physical hazards 

Addressing psychosocial risks comprehensively is central to advancing safe and healthy working environments, a fundamental principle and right at work. It demands organisational and system-level action, not only individual coping strategies. 

Sri Lanka is well placed to take this forward and already has a foundation to build on through its National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policy and National Guidelines on Establishing Bipartite OSH Committees at Workplaces, which recognise psychosocial hazards alongside physical and ergonomic risks. 

The workplace OSH committee guidelines encourage employers to look beyond traditional physical hazards and pay greater attention to issues such as stress, harassment, workload and work organisation. However, gaps remain. Existing labour laws do not yet explicitly address psychosocial hazards, and limitations in data, inspection tools and workforce capacity to assess and respond to these risks consistently across workplace, persist. 

A particular strength lies in Sri Lanka’s institutional framework. Occupational health services are delivered through the Ministry of Health, while labour regulation and workplace conditions are overseen by the Ministry of Labour. This provides a valuable opportunity to connect public health systems with workplace-level prevention. Strengthening coordination between the two domains can support a more integrated approach, one that brings together prevention, early identification, and access to care. 

This is where collaboration between the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation becomes especially important. WHO emphasises that mental health protection needs to be embedded in workplace systems and it is strongest when supported by fair work practices, supportive leadership, safe workplace cultures, and access to care where needed. The ILO focuses on working conditions, labour standards and OSH systems, emphasising prevention through the design and organisation of work through social dialogue among government, employers’ and workers’ organisations. Together, these perspectives reinforce a shared understanding: the workplace is a critical entry point for protecting and promoting mental health. 

Moving from recognition to action will be key. 

Integrating mental health into existing occupational health structures 

Efforts can begin in sectors where pressures are particularly evident, including plantations, construction, apparel and the health and care workforce itself. Within workplaces, improvements in work organisation such as reasonable working hours, flexible working arrangements, clear roles, supportive leadership and effective communication can reduce stress and support both well-being and performance. Creating safe channels, such as workplace forums in public sector, for workers to raise concerns and participate in decisions that affect their work through social dialogue is equally important. 

Integrating mental health into existing occupational health structures is an important step. Workplace joint OSH committees can play an important role by routinely examining workload, working hours, harassment, work organisation and supervisor support as part of regular workplace improvement plans. 

Stronger links between the Ministry of Labour OSH system and national mental health services can further support early identification, referral pathways, stigma reduction and reasonable accommodation for workers experiencing mental distress. Aligning with the National Mental Health Policy, this approach will allow for leveraging existing public-sector mental health infrastructure rather than build new or parallel services. 

Strengthening data and awareness remains essential. Psychosocial risks are often under-recognised and under-reported in official statistics. Improving understanding while ensuring trust and confidentiality can support more effective policies and workplace practices. 

Addressing psychosocial risks is not only a technical issue. It is also about how we understand work and its impact on people’s lives. The way work is organised shapes health outcomes, and the responsibility for addressing risks cannot rest with workers alone. It is a shared responsibility across institutions and social partners. 

The woman on the estate at dawn may never read this. But those who influence her working conditions, employers, supervisors, policymakers, will. The choices they make about how work is organised, supported and regulated will determine whether work protects health or undermines it. 

Work should not come at the cost of health or dignity. Ensuring safe, healthy and decent work for all is a shared responsibility and an essential investment in Sri Lanka’s future. 

(Joni Simpson is the Country Director, International Labour Organisation Country Office for Sri Lanka and the Maldives and Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav is the World Health Organisation, Country Representative, Sri Lanka)