The Belgian legal landscape recently experienced a significant alteration with the introduction of an act that mandates the appointment of a person of trust within companies. The new law is designed to manage and mitigate psychosocial risks within the workplace, which can gravely affect the well-being and productivity of employees, and consequently the entire organization.
These psychosocial risks encompass a variety of issues such as work-related stress, verbal or physical violence, societal pressures, or any other factor that might adversely affect a worker’s psychological state. The severity of these issues within the workspace is well-documented and their potential impact on an organisation’s health can be detrimental.
This new legal provision, as stipulated in the Belgian law, offers an additional buffer by enabling the appointment of a person of trust or “vertrouwenspersoon/personne de confiance” in companies.
These appointed individuals will serve key roles within companies, functioning as confidants for employees struggling with psychosocial issues. Their responsibility will extend to providing support, maintaining confidentiality, and devising strategies to prevent and counter such risks within the company. Their roles may also encompass addressing these issues directly with management and proposing potential prevention measures.
The new Belgian Act serves as a progressive move towards prioritizing the mental health of employees within companies.