One of the most under-the-radar compliance issues facing Australian businesses has suddenly hit the headlines thanks to a court showdown involving two shock jocks

At the centre of the dispute is a concept many business leaders are only just starting to get their heads around: psychosocial hazards in the workplace.

The legal action stems from the spectacular breakdown of the long-running breakfast show hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson.

Henderson has alleged she was subjected to bullying and unsafe workplace conditions, raising questions about whether her employer ARN Media properly managed psychosocial risks.

These risks include bullying, harassment, aggression, poor workplace interactions and unclear roles -- all factors that can harm a person’s mental health.

They might sound like soft issues, but regulators certainly don’t see them that way.

Psychosocial hazard regulations have already resulted in hefty fines, with even government departments on the receiving end – a clear signal regulators mean business.

For many employers, however, the concept remains unfamiliar.

That is why the radio dispute now unfolding could prove significant.

For more than two decades, Sandilands and Henderson hosted one of Australia’s most successful breakfast shows, built on a dynamic where one played the deliberately outrageous provocateur while the other acted as the moderating voice.

Barristers for Sandilands have described their client as performing the role of the “...

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