Psychological safety pioneer lands new academic wellbeing role

The academic who led the development of ISO45003, the first international standard on psychological health and safety in the workplace, has been appointed as the new director of the Centre for Organisational Health & Well-being at Lancaster University.

Professor Stavroula Leka has also been made professor of organisations, work and health at the university.

She is a chartered psychologist, associate fellow of the British Psychological Society, fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and the Higher Education Academy and honorary fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine in Ireland.

She is also president of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, a member of the Board of the International Commission on Occupational Health and past chair of its scientific committee ‘Work Organisation & Psychosocial Factors’.

Professor Leka led on the development of ISO45003 and her main research interests are the translation of occupational health and safety knowledge into policy and practice, psychosocial risk management and the promotion of mental health in the workplace.

In particular, she is focused in her research on work organisation and the management of the psychosocial work environment for business and societal sustainability; the management of psychosocial risks and work-related stress; creating healthy work environments; and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

“As part of my interest in policy implementation, I have conducted research in workplace health and safety regulation and on the promotion of occupational health through a business sustainability framework,” said Professor Leka.