Good work design matters now more than ever. It’s the key to the healthiest work, healthiest people and healthiest organisations
It’s not just about meeting psychological health and safety obligations or preventing harm—it’s about improving people’s experience of work.
The regulating authorities have made it clear: good work design is critical for managing risk. But good work design is more than a Band-Aid fix or risk control—it’s a sustainable approach that requires the right capabilities.
When work is designed well, it maximises engagement and motivation, helps prevent burnout, and drives performance. It attracts and retains top talent and drives employee value proposition.
Good work is good for people.
Work is a big part of our lives. We also know work is important for wellbeing. It gives us routine, opportunities to learn and apply skills, social contact, meaning, purpose and satisfaction, an identity….and an income.
These resources are essential for our basic human needs and they can be protective for mental health.
Other benefits of good work design:
- Good work benefits both individuals and organisations
- Manages psychosocial risk
- Positively influences organisational restructure and change
- Helps attract and retain top talent
- Improves employee experience and employer reputation
- Enhances teamwork, creativity, and performance
- Boosts productivity
What is good work design?
Picture a workplace filled with exciting, engaging and satisfying work... where demands are supported with resources that make work challenging, energising and motivating. Picture a workplace where people genuinely want to be there, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Sound too good to be true? Well, it doesn’t have to be. It’s just good work design.
At APS, we believe work should help people thrive, not just survive. The Healthy Work Project is how we make that happen.
How can the Healthy Work Project help?
The Healthy Work Project is about building good work design capability, however your organisation needs it most.
Consider the following questions:
- Does high workload or high demands continue to come up in surveys?
- Are people talking about being in a constant state of busyness?
- Do you want to build high-performing, thriving teams?
- Are you looking for a really practical way to maximise motivation?
- Do you have organisational change or transformation on the horizon?
If the answer is yes to any of the above, the Healthy Work Project is for you.
Unsure? Reach out and we can help.
Turning evidence into everyday practice
We recognise that job design can often feel complex and difficult to apply, which is why our approach is focused on demystifying the process and making it practical.
The Healthy Work Project brings evidence-based programs designed and delivered by world-leading job design workplace psychologists. The programs are designed in collaboration with Professor Dr Arnold Bakker and Professor Dr Evangelia Demerouti, and are delivered by the highly experienced APS team of workplace psychologists.
Centred on the highly practical Job Demands-Resources Model, Self-Determination Theory and supportive leadership models, these programs are highly scalable across a team, division or whole of organisation.
Programs are designed for individuals, leaders, HR and Work Health and Safety teams.
Learn about our programsCheck out the APS website for a broader range of psychological health and safety services