10 13+ Workplace Factors Toolkits | MARCH 2022
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CONTENTS
FACTOR
5
PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPETENCIES
AND DEMANDS
When we think of job competency, we often think about the technical
skills required to perform the daily tasks of the job. However,
psychological competencies and demands go beyond the skills
required to perform the work and include an individual's interpersonal
and emotional competencies and the emotional and psychological
demands imposed on a worker to effectively complete the job.
Psychological competencies can include individual skills, knowledge,
demeanor and emotional intelligence. Psychological demands, on the
other hand, include hazards such as isolation, constant high-pressure
situations, shiftwork, trauma-based work or working with the public.
Just as we do for physical demands of the job, psychological demands
should be documented and assessed to identify hazards. The key is
to align the psychological demands of a job with the psychological
competencies that employees possess or attain.
