The People at Work (PAW) survey and platform is being decommissioned across Australia. For organisations that have relied on PAW to assess psychosocial hazards, this is an opportunity to review not just which survey to use next, but the broader process for managing psychosocial risk. 

Key dates 

• New PAW registrations closed on 1 June 2026. 
• New surveys could no longer be launched after 1 July 2026. 
• Organisations will lose access to the PAW platform on 2 October 2026. 
• Existing reports should be downloaded and securely retained before access closes. 

Why is PAW being retired? 

WorkSafe Queensland has indicated that PAW no longer fully reflects contemporary psychosocial risk requirements and research. This includes the need to better address hazards such as sexual harassment and isolated work, as well as demand for more targeted, actionable assessment approaches. 

The important message is that psychosocial risk assessment is not becoming less important. Expectations around identifying hazards, consulting workers, implementing controls and reviewing their effectiveness are becoming more developed. 

There is no single replacement for PAW 

Organisations should avoid simply finding another survey and treating it as “the new PAW”. 

The right approach will depend on the organisation, its workforce, its jurisdiction and the level of assessment required. 

More importantly, a survey is only one part of psychosocial risk management. 

Focus on the whole process 

A strong approach should consider: 

• Preparation: leadership alignment, governance, responsibilities and worker communication. 

• Assessment: identifying hazards using surveys, consultation, focus groups and other evidence. 

• Action: prioritising risks, designing controls and assigning ownership. 

• Monitoring: checking whether controls are working and improving them over time. 

The real value comes from what happens before and after the survey, not simply collecting data. 

Five things organisations using PAW should do now 

1. Download existing PAW reports before 2 October 2026. 
2. Don’t automatically replace PAW with another survey. 
3. Review your entire psychosocial risk-management process. 
4. Consider what evidence and consultation you need to properly understand your risks. 
5. Use the transition to improve what happens after assessment. 

The end of People at Work is not the end of psychosocial risk assessment. 

The more important question is no longer: 

“What survey should we use?” 

It is: 

“Do we have an effective process to identify psychosocial risks, involve our people, act on what we find and monitor whether our controls are working?” 

If you need a hand to keep the momentum no matter where you are on the journey, please get in touch!