About COPSOQ Australia
The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) is an internationally recognised tool for assessing psychosocial factors at work. Used in 48 countries, it provides a reliable, evidence-based way to understand risks and protective factors, helping organisations create safer, healthier and more productive workplaces.
What is COPSOQ?
The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III) is an internationally validated tool designed to assess psychosocial factors at work. It provides an evidence-informed framework for identifying both risks and protective factors in the work environment.
Developed through international collaboration, COPSOQ III is applied across sectors including health, education, public service, aged care, manufacturing, mining, construction, oil and gas, and knowledge industries.
In Australia, COPSOQ guides evidence-based action that improves psychosocial conditions, strengthens employee wellbeing, and goes beyond compliance with workplace health and safety obligations. Suitable for organisations of any size, it helps identify key risks, set priorities, and take preventive action.
Why use COPSOQ?
Internationally validated → backed by over two decades of research and applied in 48 countries.
Comprehensive yet practical → measures both psychosocial risks and protective factors, not just minimum WHS requirements.
Benchmarking → compare results across units, organisations, sectors, and professional groups.
Track change over time → monitor improvements and evaluate the impact of interventions.
Applicable to all workplaces → suitable for any industry or organisation, regardless of size.
Action-oriented insights → provides results that guide practical strategies to improve work environments.
Beyond compliance → supports healthier, safer workplaces while meeting (and exceeding) WHS obligations.
Using COPSOQ
COPSOQ in Workplaces
COPSOQ is a powerful tool for assessing the organisational and social work environment, widely recognised for its effectiveness in risk assessment and organisational development. It is typically used in collaboration with various stakeholders, including employee representatives, occupational health services, HR departments, consulting firms and company management.
A COPSOQ survey, when combined with relevant reference values, can help identify key areas for improvement, providing a clear overview of specific challenges within an organisation, department or professional group. The detailed insights gained from the survey allow organisations to pinpoint areas for action, enhancing both workplace well-being and organisational performance (such as reducing absenteeism, turnover, and other related metrics).
Importantly, COPSOQ is not solely focused on identifying risks—it also highlights health-promoting factors in the work environment. This means that a COPSOQ survey can help organisations not only identify areas for improvement but also recognise strengths that should be preserved and built upon for future development.
COPSOQ in Research
COPSOQ has been translated into over 25 languages and is used globally, contributing to a growing body of knowledge. One prominent example of international collaboration is the COPSOQ III study, which gathered data from Sweden, Germany, Turkey, France, Spain, and Canada, and was published by researchers within the international COPSOQ network. COPSOQ is also employed in intervention research, generating valuable insights that inform practical change initiatives in workplaces.
Based on research, COPSOQ measures key aspects of occupational health and safety theories, ensuring reliable data collection. This research foundation not only guarantees that COPSOQ measures the right factors, but also provides a relevant basis for comparison, helping organisations identify significant differences to act upon.
COPSOQ Australia Team