Lack of role clarity
When workers clearly understand what they need to do at work they have less uncertainty, anxiety and stress; they can work more efficiently; and are more likely to feel engaged and motivated.
But when role clarity is lacking, and the experience is frequent, lasts for a long time or is severe, it becomes a psychosocial hazard that can cause harm to health.
What is lack of role clarity?
Lack of role clarity can include unclear, inconsistent or frequently changing roles, responsibilities or expectations and a lack of important job-related information. Role confusion or uncertainty can occur in many situations involving change at work, such as beginning a new job, starting in a new organisation, a transfer, or working to a new supervisor or manager following a restructure in the organisation.
Low role clarity may exist in isolation however, it will often occur in combination with other psychosocial hazards at work.
A lack of role clarity can occur when:
- roles and reporting lines are unclear, for example, who is responsible for what or who is working to which manager
- there are overlapping responsibilities between workers
- there are conflicting, uncertain, or frequently changing expectations and work standards, for example, changing deadlines or contradictory instructions
- there is missing or incomplete task information needed to do the job
- there are unclear work priorities, for example, not knowing which tasks are most important or urgent.
Examples include:
- a worker being told by one manager that a task is a priority but another manager disagrees
- a worker given unclear or conflicting information about work standards and performance expectations
- unclear or outdated position descriptions or changing position descriptions.
A lack of role clarity has been identified as a hazard in the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2024.
This guidance will help you meet your obligation under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011.
Resources on role clarity
- Lack of role clarity - Safe Work Australia
- Role clarity, role conflict and work-related stress tip sheet - SafeWork NSW
- Good Work Design: Enhancing performance - Comcare
