According to an Australian Public Service Commission update, the incident rate of psychological injury in government departments is now higher than the private sector.

Departments were also told they could do a better job looking after the health and wellbeing of their employees, with active leadership required from leadership teams.

According to the update, department secretaries are continuing to assess how workplace practices are affecting work attitudes, motivation and performance at work.

"This aspect of workplace health and safety links the demands of an employee's role and the sense of control they experience over how they do their work," the report said.

"Where employees experience consistently unrealistic time pressures, or have little or no control over how they do their work the workplace health and safety outcome is significantly poorer."

Comcare data released earlier this year found the annual bill for bullying, harassment and "occupational violence" in the public service was approaching $80 million.

Trauma from workplace bullying or violence now make up the largest proportion of mental-stress compensation claims among public servants

The update found one-third of public servants believe they always or often face unrealistic time pressures at work, while 40 per cent said they never or rarely did.

Close to half of those surveyed said senior leaders affected workplace health and safety while 25 per cent strongly disagreed.

Slightly more than 40 per cent said immediate supervisors had demonstrated a commitment to safety while 20 per cent strongly disagreed.

"Senior leaders have a profound effect on workplace safety," the update said. "When senior leaders actively engage their staff on how to deal with workplace problems the effect on workplace safety is clear."

Last month, Department of Employment secretary Renee Leon told a Senate estimates hearing more public servants were taking time off work each year, causing the costs of compensation claims to increase.

"That is partly a function of there being a significant increase in psychological injury claims and possibly that agencies could be more proactive in supporting their injured employees to get back to work," she said.

Earlier this year, the Public Service Commission told an inquiry into reform of the Comcare system that the government could no longer afford the cost or reputational damage wrought by abuse of Comcare.

The Public Service Commission has called on departments to ensure staff have an outlet to raise concerns about psychological safety risks and to ensure they were acknowledged by management.

Stress prevention was also recommended at all levels of the bureaucracy but particularly through the middle management and executive ranks.

The commission also recommended senior leaders promote mental health through the introduction of awareness programs and workshops or participation in World Mental Health day activities.

In recent months, a cross-departmental group had developed a number of trial programs to address the increasing compensation claims, which will be assessed by the Public Service Commissioner.

"The main focus is on preventing workplace injury but also getting people back to work quickly," Ms Leon said.