Risks that cause illness, voices that warn: leadership strategies in supporting healthcare workers

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the obstacles in the work process and the strategies used by leaders in supporting healthcare workers involved in incidents related to psychosocial risks. Method: an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative study conducted between January 2023 and September 2024, with ten leaders at a university hospital in southern Brazil. Data were collected from records of the occupational health and psychology services, the human resources department, the institution's strategic operational management software, as well as from semi-structured interviews, which were subjected to Thematic Content Analysis. Results: twenty-three psychosocial incidents with repercussions for workers were identified. Two categories emerged from the interviews: Worker support; focusing on the challenges and strategies for its effective implementation, and Participatory management, aimed at building environments that promote worker’s involvement and shared responsibility. Final considerations: the main factors that interfere with the effective support to healthcare workers following incidents involving psychosocial risks. The strategies adopted by leadership, although present, require improvement and greater systematization to ensure adequate psychosocial support, favoring the promotion of the team’s health and safety.