How to choose a psychosocial risk tool in New Zealand
Short answer: Start with WorkSafe New Zealand's free guidelines, Managing psychosocial risks at work. They set out how to identify hazards with your workers, assess the risks, choose controls and review them. If you want a validated survey, COPSOQ III is free to use under its licence, and WorkSafe used COPSOQ for its New Zealand Psychosocial Survey. Then pick a tool that your workers will actually complete, especially frontline and shift staff, and that tells you who acts on the results.
Free and official starting points
| Option | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| WorkSafe NZ: Managing psychosocial risks at work | Guidelines on recognising, assessing, controlling and reviewing psychosocial risks, with common hazard examples | Free |
| COPSOQ III (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) | An international questionnaire for workplaces of any size and sector, with short, middle and long versions | Free to use under its licence; fees can apply for analysis or advice |
| WorkSafe NZ: New Zealand Psychosocial Survey | WorkSafe research using COPSOQ with 3,612 NZ respondents in 2021, describing common risks by industry and occupation | Free to read |
| Conversations, focus groups and existing records | WorkSafe lists incident records, workload data, overtime, rosters, complaints and customer feedback as ways to spot hazards | Free |
Questions to ask before you choose a tool
- Will our workers complete it? Think about staff without a work email, on older phones or on rotating shifts. What does it need: an app, a login, an email address, or just a text?
- How often will we hear from people? WorkSafe says hazard identification, risk assessment and review are ongoing, not one-off tasks. A once-a-year survey leaves long gaps.
- Does it involve workers? WorkSafe's guidelines say to engage with workers and their representatives when making decisions about their health and safety.
- Is it confidential? COPSOQ's guidelines call for strict anonymity. Ask who sees individual answers, and what minimum group size applies before results are reported.
- What happens when someone needs help? A survey records a score. Ask whether a reply asking for help reaches a person who follows up.
- Who acts on the results? Every tool needs someone to agree controls with workers and review them.
- What does it really cost? Include set-up, analysis and staff time, not just the licence.
Why the delivery method matters
Use of apps tends to drop away quickly. A peer-reviewed study of 93 popular mental health apps found a median of 3.3% of users still opened the app 30 days after installing it (Baumel et al., JMIR 2019). A systematic review led by New Zealand researchers found completion or sustained use of real-world digital self-help programs and apps ranged from 0.5% to 28.6% (Fleming et al., JMIR 2018). If your people won't download or keep using an app, choose a method that reaches them where they already are.
Where SMS check-ins fit
A validated survey gives you a structured picture at one point in time. Short, regular check-ins by text sit between surveys, so you can see changes sooner and talk them through with workers. WellbeingSolutions is a paid service that combines:
- Personalised SMS check-ins, with no app to download and no login.
- Triage to your chosen professional support, such as your EAP, when someone replies that they need help.
- Anonymised trend reporting for leaders, not names.
- A confidential psychosocial risk assessment informed by ISO 45003 guidance, taking 8 to 12 minutes, sent by text, email or QR code. From $2,995 a year for up to 100 staff, excl GST.
It sits alongside WorkSafe's guidance and a validated survey rather than standing in for them. More detail: Psychosocial risk assessment for NZ frontline workplaces.
Free 2-week pilot: SMS check-ins and AI-4U, up to 10 staff. Start your free pilot
Questions we hear
What free psychosocial risk tools are there in New Zealand?
WorkSafe New Zealand's guidelines, Managing psychosocial risks at work, are free. COPSOQ III is a free international questionnaire, used under its licence, and WorkSafe used COPSOQ for its New Zealand Psychosocial Survey.
Is COPSOQ free to use in a business?
Yes, under its Creative Commons licence and guidelines. No fee can be charged for the questionnaire itself, but fees for analysis, advice or training are allowed.
How often should we assess psychosocial risks?
WorkSafe says it's ongoing. It suggests reviewing controls regularly, and when new hazards appear, controls don't work, significant changes happen, or workers ask.
What should we look for in a tool for shift workers?
Something short that works on any phone, needs no app or work email, keeps answers confidential, and connects anyone who needs help to support.
Does a wellbeing programme count as managing psychosocial risk?
No. WorkSafe's guidelines say wellbeing support is worth considering, and sits alongside managing psychosocial risks from work, not instead of it.
This page summarises public information and is not legal advice. Last checked 31 October 2026.