From May 26th, 2025all companies in Brazil will be obliged to adopt specific measures to promote employee mental health in the workplace.

The demand is the result of updating Regulatory Standard No. 1 (NR-1), carried out by Ministry of Labor and Employment (MTE). The new rule requires employers to recognize, monitor and manage the psychosocial risks.

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This change represents a major breakthrough in labor legislation and reinforces the need to mental well-being in the corporate environment. As well as complying with legislation, companies will have the opportunity to build healthier and more productive working environments.

What are psychosocial risks?

The psychosocial risks are factors present in the work environment that can harm the mental health of employees. These risks are associated with inadequate organizational situations and conditions that affect productivity and emotional balance.

See the main factors that make up the psychosocial risks:

Work overloadtoo many tasks and responsibilities.
Long or inflexible hoursdifficulty reconciling work and personal life.
Lack of autonomylack of control over decisions and processes.
Inadequate working conditionsunsafe or uncomfortable environments.
Toxic organizational cultureharmful behaviors, such as bullying e sexual harassment.
High demands with tight deadlinesextreme pressure to deliver results.
Lack of social supportlack of support from leaders and colleagues.
Job insecurityfear of redundancy or professional instability.

These factors, when left unmanaged, can trigger problems such as anxiety, depression, burnout and even long-term sick leave.

What will companies have to do to comply?

To meet the new NR-1companies must implement specific documents and processes aimed at psychosocial risk management. Find out about the main changes and how they should be applied:

Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA)
A AET was already a mandatory document in many companies, but now it must include aspects related to mental health. This means that employers will need to assess factors such as:
- Mental workload
- Pressure for deadlines and targets
- Organizing tasks
- Physical and social environment
The aim is to ensure that the working environment don't contribute to emotional problems of employees.
Occupational Risk Management (ORM)
A NR-1 also requires GRO include a detailed action plan for identifying, preventing and mitigating psychosocial risks. This plan must contain:
- Mapping psychosocial risks present in the work environment.
- Preventive and corrective measures to deal with identified problems.
- Educational and awareness-raising activities for leaders and employees.
O GRO will be key to creating work policies that promote mental health and protect employees.

Penalties for non-compliance

Companies that fail to implement the measures required by NR-1 will be subject to severe penalties. These include:

Fines proportional to the seriousness of the infraction.
Banning of sectors of the company, or even the entire companyin cases of serious risk to workers.

Failure to comply with the standard can have an impact not only financially, but also on reputation of the company in the eyes of employees and society.

Why is updating NR-1 important?

Brazil is among the countries with the highest rates of work-related mental illness. O burnoutfor example, has become a syndrome recognized by the WHO and affects millions of professionals. Updating NR-1 represents a major step forward:

Encourage healthier and more balanced working environments.
Reducing absenteeism and absences due to mental health problems.
Improving organizational climate and employee satisfaction.
Increasing productivity with motivated and healthy teams.

In addition, companies that prioritize mental health tend to retain talent and stand out in the market as more responsible employers.

Read also: Accident Prevention Factor (FAP) 2025: What are the New Rules?

How to start implementing the requirements of NR-1?

Complying with NR-1 may seem challenging, but there are a few key steps to start the process. psychosocial risk management:

Raising awareness among leaders and managers
Hold training sessions and meetings to explain the importance of mental health and the changes required by NR-1.
Analysis of the work environment
Hire professionals who specialize in occupational health to carry out an assessment of psychosocial risk factors.
Drawing up the GRO and updating the AET
Create a structured action plan to identify and mitigate risks. Update the documents as required by the standard.
Creating internal policies
Establish clear policies to combat bullying, work overload e other harmful practices.
Promotion of well-being actions
Invest in mental healthsuch as:
- Psychological support for employees
- Quality of life programs
- Encouraging a balance between personal and professional life.

Conclusion

A NR-1 update is an important milestone for the promotion of mental health in the workplace. As of May 26, 2025, companies will have to go beyond legal compliance and adopt a stance more humane and responsible.

Implementing the requirements of the standard not only avoids penaltiesas well as values employees and makes the corporate environment more productive, healthy and respectful.

Here at CLM Controller AccountingWe are prepared to help your company comply with the new NR-1 requirements. Contact us and count on a specialized team to guide you through this process! 🚀