Psychological health in the workplace has become an unavoidable priority in Quebec. With the coming into force of An Act to modernize the occupational health and safety regime (Bill 27) on October 6, 2025, organizations are now required to integrate PSR prevention into their occupational health and safety (OHS) programs. This reform marks a turning point: mental health is now protected with the same rigour as physical health. But what exactly is a psychosocial risk? And how should it be accounted for in a risk analysis? Let’s take a closer look.
Context and implications of Bill 27
Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in occupational injuries related to psychosocial risks (PSR). According to a recent report by the CNESST (Commission on Workplace Standards, Fairness, Health and Safety), the number of injuries attributable to these risks increased by 71% between 2020 and 2024, reaching 6,667 cases in 2024. Violence-related injuries jumped by 80%, while stress-related claims rose by 63%. Most alarming is the explosion in sexual harassment claims, which saw a 679% increase over five years.
These situations carry heavy consequences for both workers and employers. In 2024, the average compensation period for a PSR-related injury was 195 days (compared to 160 days in 2020). This climbs to 300 days for stress, and reaches 409 days for harassment. The financial costs are equally concerning. For all psychosocial risks combined (violence, stress, and harassment), average disbursements reach $27,543. However, when examining sub-categories, the amounts rise significantly: $42,096 for stress-related injuries and $54,362 for those associated with harassment. These discrepancies are due to longer compensation periods and the severity of the psychological impact in these cases.
These figures reflect a troubling reality: PSRs are no longer isolated incidents, but a systemic issue affecting organizational performance and worker health. They manifest as adjustment disorders, depressive states, nervous shock, or concussions, and particularly impact the healthcare, education, and public service sectors. Complaints of psychological or sexual harassment under the Act respecting labour standards also increased by 54% in five years, reaching 6,817 complaints in 2024. This trend demonstrates that PSR prevention has become essential to ensure business sustainability and workplace safety.
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What is a PSR?
A psychosocial risk (PSR) refers to a work situation likely to have negative effects on the psychological or physical health of workers. Unlike physical hazards, PSRs are linked to work organization, management practices, and social relations. They specifically include violence (physical or psychological), harassment (psychological, sexual, or discriminatory), and exposure to traumatic events.
The primary psychosocial risk factors are:
- Workload: When excessive or poorly distributed, it leads to stress and burnout.
- Decision-making autonomy: Low control over one’s work increases psychological distress.
- Social support: A lack of mutual aid or collaboration fosters isolation and conflict.
- Recognition: A lack of appreciation for effort and skills creates a sense of injustice.
- Organizational justice: Decisions perceived as unfair or opaque undermine trust and motivation.
These factors can interact and amplify one another, leading to serious consequences such as professional burnout, anxiety, depression, or musculoskeletal disorders. PSR prevention relies on a holistic approach that considers all working conditions to promote a healthy and safe environment.
Provisions of Bill 27
Bill 27 modernizes the occupational health and safety regime and imposes new obligations on all Quebec businesses, regardless of size or sector. Employers must now integrate PSRs into their prevention program or action plan (for businesses with fewer than 20 workers), in accordance with the Act respecting occupational health and safety (AOHS), specifically Section 59 regarding prevention programs. Employers are required to identify, analyze, correct, and control psychosocial risks and adopt a policy against psychological harassment, as provided for in Section 81.19 of the Act respecting labour standards (ALS). The law also requires the establishment of a joint OHS committee for companies with 20 or more workers, as well as the designation of a health and safety representative (HSR) or a liaison officer for smaller structures. Finally, documenting and demonstrating compliance is essential in the event of a CNESST inspection. Failure to meet these obligations can result in significant fines and public orders.
Challenges for Organizations
Despite the importance of these obligations, a Léger survey commissioned by Coësion SP reveals that 77% of surveyed organizations do not have a structured workplace health and well-being (WHW) program. More than 50% of organizations have not yet deployed a prevention program for psychosocial risk factors, even though Bill 27 now mandates it. This highlights the scale of the challenge facing employers.
Implementing legal requirements involves several complex steps: collecting data on absenteeism, complaints, and incidents; analyzing risk factors; and continuously monitoring and updating measures. These processes require time, human and financial resources, and specialized expertise. For SMEs, these constraints can seem insurmountable, which partly explains the delay in achieving compliance.
Digitization as a Lever for Compliance
Digitization offers a practical solution to these challenges. Digital platforms allow for the centralization of data in a single dashboard, facilitating the collection and analysis of key indicators such as absenteeism rates, staff turnover, and harassment complaints. They offer validated online questionnaires to measure PSRs and analysis tools to prioritize risks based on severity and frequency. With automatic alerts, they ensure real-time tracking of corrective actions and generate compliant reports for CNESST requirements, ready for audits.
Specifically, digitization enables:
- Data centralization: Single access to key indicators (absenteeism, turnover, complaints).
- Automated identification and Analysis: Validated online questionnaires and tools to prioritize risks.
- Real-time tracking: Automatic alerts for corrective actions and CNESST-compliant reports.
- Traceability and proof of compliance: A full history of measures and documentation accessible for inspections.
- Enhanced collaboration: Involvement of managers and teams in a proactive approach.
Benefits of digitization for Bill 27 compliance
Adopting digital solutions offers significant advantages for organizations. It goes beyond legal compliance, transforming PSR management into a strategic lever.
Key benefits include:
- Reduction of legal and financial risks associated with non-compliance.
- Improved workplace climate and employee retention.
- Time savings and efficiency through the automation of administrative tasks.
- Strengthening of the OHS prevention culture by involving all stakeholders.
- Ability to anticipate problems before they reach a critical stage.
Bill 27 imposes strict obligations, but digitization turns these constraints into drivers for performance and well-being. By adopting digital tools, companies can not only comply with the law but also build a healthy and resilient workplace. More broadly, this reform marks a decisive step toward an organizational culture that places psychological health at the heart of its priorities, on par with physical safety.
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