The Norwegian Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidstilsynet) informs that as of 1 January 2026, amendments to the Working Environment Act (Arbeidsmiljøloven) have entered into force, clarifying employers' responsibility for the psychosocial working environment.

The aim of these changes is to help employers better understand how to organise work in a way that ensures a safe, healthy and appropriate working environment for their employees, not only in physical terms but also in psychosocial terms. ✅

🔍 Who is particularly concerned?

These changes are particularly important for sectors where workers are affected:

• a high work pace and workload,
• regular contact with clients or customers,
• emotional tension or stress.

This is particularly true for construction, cleaning, service and maintenance companies.

What changes from 2026?

1️⃣ The psychosocial working environment becomes explicitly enshrined in law
The requirement to provide a suitable working environment formally includes psychosocial factors. It is no longer just a recommendation, but an explicit legal obligation for employers.

2️⃣ Identify specific psychosocial factors
The law clearly states that employers must take into account:

• unclear or contradictory requirements in the workplace,
• the emotional challenges of dealing with people,
• too much work or pressure due to lack of time,
• lack of support and help from supervisors or colleagues.

3️⃣ Employers' duties remain unchanged but responsibilities become clearer
While the requirement to take care of the working environment already existed, the new legislation makes it more specific. This means that failure to assess or ignore psychosocial risks can be considered a breach of the law.

✅ What does this mean for businesses?

These changes are an opportunity:

• review internal processes,
• update HMS and risk assessments,
• enhance staff wellbeing and job satisfaction,
• reduce the risk of sickness absence, burnout and staff turnover.

If you have doubts about whether psychosocial risk factors are being properly assessed in your company, Nord HMS can help you assess the situation and prepare for the new requirements.