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Description

Psychosocial Risks: Identifying Difficult Situations, Intervening and Referring On

Knowing exactly what to do when an employee breaks down, withdraws or puts a whole team under strain

  • 1 day — 7 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Difficult situations give no warning. An employee who withdraws, a conflict that escalates, distress hinted at halfway through a one-to-one: the manager or designated focal point is left alone with a disclosure they were never trained to receive. The temptation is then to play it down, or to promise something that cannot be delivered.

This short format is designed for professionals who already have a basic awareness of psychosocial risks. Participants learn to conduct a first-response conversation, to state the limits of their role clearly, to refer the person to the right internal and external contacts, and to organise follow-up once the immediate intervention is over.

Learning objectives

  • Identify individual and collective warning signs within your area of responsibility
  • Conduct a first-response conversation with a person in difficulty
  • Distinguish what falls within your role from what must be referred on
  • Engage the relevant internal and external prevention stakeholders
  • Organise the follow-up of a situation once the immediate intervention is over

What makes this programme different

Role-play scenarios built from the real cases brought by the group
A conversation framework that can be used as soon as you return to your team
Explicit work on the limits of the manager and focal point role

Programme

1Spotting signs before the situation deteriorates

The signals we see without naming them

  • Individual signs of withdrawal and of overwork
  • Collective indicators of a team under strain
  • Telling a temporary difficulty apart from a situation that is becoming entrenched
  • Gathering facts without rushing to interpretation

2Conducting the first-response conversation

Receiving a disclosure without handling it alone

  • Preparing the conversation and setting its framework
  • Active listening and reformulation
  • Wordings to avoid when distress is expressed
  • Closing the conversation and making commitments you can keep

3Referring on and ensuring follow-up

The right contact at the right moment

  • Respective roles of the manager, the focal point and the occupational health provider
  • Internal escalation channel and record keeping
  • Immediate protective measures
  • Following up the situation and reconnecting with the team

Who is it for

Line managers and designated focal points, as well as HR team members, who are confronted with sensitive situations.

Prerequisites

Prior attendance at an introductory session on psychosocial risks, or current experience in a supervisory role.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.