4. Be self-aware—and demand the same from your team. – People bring their whole self to work—their unique personalities, preferences, and work styles. Build self-awareness on your team by sharing how you work best, how you like to communicate, and how you like to be recognized.

What is psychological safety in an organization?

What do we mean by psychological safety? – Psychological safety refers to the feeling of being able to speak up, take risks, and make mistakes without fear of negative consequences. The term psychological safety was first coined by Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School.

She described it as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” In 1999, while studying the rate of mistakes made by medical teams, Edmondson found that the teams that made more mistakes performed better than teams that made fewer mistakes — or at least, that’s how it seemed at first.

Rather, it was the teams that had a culture of openly admitting to making mistakes that had better outcomes. The other teams were making mistakes, too; they just hid them. Simon Sinek later wrote about psychological safety in the workplace in his 2014 book “Leaders Eat Last.” Inspired by military organizations, where leaders literally put their lives on the line, he wrote that great leadership is about making employees feel safe so they can focus on work without fear for their own survival.

What are the 4 types of psychological safety?

Innovation is almost always a collaborative process and almost never a lightbulb moment of lone genius. – Yet, as the historian Robert Conquest once said, “What is easy to understand may have not been easy to think of.” Innovation is never easy to think of.

1. It requires creative abrasion and constructive dissent—processes that rely on high intellectual friction and low social friction.
2. Most leaders don’t comprehend that managing these two categories of friction to create an ecosystem of brave collaboration is at the heart of leadership as an applied discipline.

It is perhaps the supreme test of a leader and a direct reflection of personal character. Without skill, integrity, and respect for people, it doesn’t happen. Nor can perks such as foosball tables, free lunch, an open office environment, and the aesthetic of a hip organization bring it to life.

1. One of the first things you learn about leadership is that the social and cultural context has a profound influence on the way people behave and that you as the leader are, straight up, responsible for that context.
2. The other thing you learn is that fear is the enemy.
3. It freezes initiative, ties up creativity, yields compliance instead of commitment, and represses what would otherwise be an explosion of innovation.

The presence of fear in an organization is the first sign of weak leadership. If you can banish fear, install true performance-based accountability, and create a nurturing environment that allows people to be vulnerable as they learn and grow, they will perform beyond your expectations and theirs.

• For the past twenty-five years, I’ve been a working cultural anthropologist and a student of psychological safety, learning from leaders and teams across every sector of society.
• I’ve discovered that psychological safety follows a progression based on the natural sequence of human needs.
• First, human beings want to be included.

Second, they want to learn. Third, they want to contribute. And finally, they want to challenge the status quo when they believe things need to change. This pattern is consistent across all organizations and social units, that I have come to define as The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety.

How do you build safety in an organization?

MAKE SURE ALL WORKERS ARE PROPERLY TRAINED – The organization must provide all workers with safety training using language they can understand. This training should be given to all new workers, with refresher courses offered to (or required) for existing workers or when workers change jobs (within the company).

Why is it important to promote psychological safety in the workplace?

8- Employee Wellbeing: – Building psychological safety contributes significantly to employee wellbeing. In a psychologically safe environment, employees are less stressed and anxious, which improves their mental and physical health. This positive effect on wellbeing can enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism, and increase overall job satisfaction.

What is the most powerful action a leader can do for creating psychological safety?

Observation and Open Communication Channels – Observation and open communication channels can be valuable ways to collate quantitative and qualitative data regarding psychological safety. Managers can observe team dynamics, paying attention to trust, collaboration, and openness among team members.

Engaging in conversations and informal discussions with employees also provides valuable data. However, for open discussions and interviews to be of value, there needs to be an element of psychological safety already in place. Once your results are in, ensure you dedicate time to interpreting them and identifying patterns, trends, and areas where psychological safety may be lacking.

Next, develop action plans that address the specific needs of the team or organisation to improve psychological safety. Involve team members in the process, seeking their input and collaboration to ensure ownership and buy-in. It’s important to note that measuring psychological safety is not a one-time event.

Regular assessments should be conducted to track progress, evaluate the effectiveness of the changes made, and make necessary adjustments as the team or organisation evolves. By continuously measuring and acting on the results, managers and leaders can create an environment where psychological safety thrives, improving wellbeing, engagement, and productivity.

Leading by example is a powerful way to create psychological safety within your team. As a leader, your behaviours and actions set the tone for the work environment. Here are two examples of how you can lead by example: Acknowledge your own fallibility and share personal experiences demonstrating vulnerability.

This helps to humanise your leadership and create an atmosphere where it’s acceptable to admit mistakes, seek help, and learn from failures. By showing vulnerability, you encourage others to do the same, fostering a climate of trust and psychological safety. Model and promote open and honest communication within your team.

Actively listen to your employees, validate their ideas, and create space for everyone to share their thoughts without fear of judgment. Encourage constructive feedback and facilitate transparent discussions. When individuals feel their opinions are respected, it builds trust and strengthens psychological safety. Setting clear goals and managing expectations are for creating psychological safety at work. When people understand what is expected of them, they can perform their duties with confidence and clarity. Ensure that the goals you set for your team are realistic and achievable.

Unrealistic expectations can lead to stress, burnout, and a fear of failure. Collaborate with your team to establish challenging yet attainable targets and provide the necessary resources and support to help them succeed. Regularly provide constructive, specific, and timely feedback. Recognise and acknowledge the efforts and achievements of your team members and offer guidance to help them improve.

Feedback should focus on behaviours and outcomes rather than personal attacks. Providing guidance and support fosters an environment where continuous growth and improvement are valued.

What are examples of psychological safety?

What is psychological safety? – Let’s start with a definition. Team psychological safety is a shared belief held by members of a team that it’s OK to take risks, to express their ideas and concerns, to speak up with questions, and to admit mistakes — all without fear of negative consequences.

1. As Edmondson puts it, “it’s felt permission for candor.” Edmondson first landed on the concept when she was doing research for her PhD.
2. She had set out to study the relationship between error making and teamwork in hospitals, expecting to find that more effective teams made fewer mistakes.
3. But what she found was that the teams who reported better teamwork seemed to experience more errors.

When she dug into the data, she began to suspect that better teams might be more willing to report their mistakes – because they felt safe doing so – and conducted follow up research to explore that hypothesis. The “team” in team psychological safety is important.

What are some examples of companies with psychological safety?

Improve team communication and performance | The voice of psychological safety & team engagement | Master Leadership & Culture Coach | Facilitator of Emotional Resilience Training programs – Published May 5, 2023 In today’s rapidly changing business environment, companies that prioritise the well-being of their employees and create a culture of psychological safety are more likely to thrive.

Psychological safety refers to the perception of feeling safe to take interpersonal risks within a group, without fear of negative consequences. This concept has gained significant attention in recent years due to its enhanced employee engagement and improved business & financial outcomes. Studies have found that creating a psychologically safe workplace has increased employee engagement, which has been linked to higher productivity, innovation, and profitability,

According to a study by Gallup, companies with high employee engagement levels have 21% higher profitability than those with low levels. The Gallup studies continue to state that disengaged employees cost the country around $54.8 billion (AU) annually.

Another study by Google found that teams with high levels of psychological safety are more likely to be productive and innovative, with employees reporting higher levels of job satisfaction and well-being. Investing in creating a psychologically safe workplace not only leads to better employee engagement but can also have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line.

Research has found that companies that invest in the well-being of their employees see a return on investment of up to 6:1. For example, a study by Deloitte found that organizations that prioritise well-being and mental health see a 40% reduction in employee turnover, which can save companies significant costs associated with recruitment and training.

Several organisations have already started to invest in creating a psychologically safe workplace, with impressive results. For example, Airbnb has implemented a program to train managers on how to create a psychologically safe workplace, resulting in a 24% increase in employee engagement, Another example is Microsoft, which has implemented a program to encourage employees to speak up and share their ideas, resulting in a 10% increase in revenue.

It’s not just large corporations that are investing in psychological safety either. Australian company, Lendlease, implemented a program to support the mental health of their employees, resulting in a 45% reduction in absenteeism and a 53% reduction in workers’ compensation claims.

The link between psychological safety and mental health is also important to note. In Australia, mental health costs businesses an estimated $11 billion per year, with a significant portion of this cost resulting from workplace stress. Creating a psychologically safe workplace can help reduce workplace stress and promote mental well-being, leading to a more engaged and productive workforce.

In conclusion, prioritising psychological safety in the workplace is not only the right thing to do for employees but also makes good business sense. By investing in creating a culture of psychological safety, companies can increase employee engagement, improve business outcomes, and promote mental well-being.

What could your workplace do to improve psychological and social support?

What is psychological and social support? – Psychological and social support comprises all supportive social interactions available at work; either with co-workers or supervisors. It refers to the degree of social and emotional integration and trust among co-workers and supervisors.

It refers also to the level of help and assistance provided by others when one is performing tasks. Equally important are the workers’ perceptions and awareness of organizational support. When workers perceive organizational support, it means they believe their organization values their contributions, is committed to ensuring their psychological well-being and provides meaningful support if this well-being is compromised.

An organization with good psychological and social support would be able to state that:

The organization offers services or benefits that address worker psychological and mental health. Workers feel part of a community and that the people they are working with are helpful in fulfilling the job requirements. The organization has a process in place to intervene if an employee looks distressed while at work. Workers feel supported by the organization when they are dealing with personal or family issues. The organization supports workers who are returning to work after time off due to a mental health condition. People in the organization have a good understanding of the importance of worker mental health.

The more psychological and social support workers have, the more involved, committed and satisfied they are. Workers are happier and more productive, want to stay working with the organization for the long-term and are much more likely to ‘go the extra mile’ by engaging in organizational citizenship behaviours that help others.

1. Psychological support is especially helpful in protecting against stress and trauma at work.
2. Workers who are emotionally distressed or dealing with a mental health issue will be more likely to seek and receive appropriate help.
3. This helps them stay safe and productive at work – and, if absence from work is required, helps them get back to work quicker and stay at work.

Workers without psychological and social support are more likely to withdraw from work and have higher absenteeism rates. Conflict and staff turnover are more likely. Work stress may lead to physical symptoms (such as fatigue or headaches) or emotional symptoms (such as anxiety or burnout).

Get a sense of your staff’s needs and concerns regarding mental health. Some ways to do this are conducting an anonymous survey, placing a suggestion box in a staff room or adding mental health as an agenda item at a staff meeting. Share this information with all team members; this is a great first step in combating stigma towards mental health. It also demonstrates your organization’s commitment. Develop formal and informal networks to support management in dealing with mental health issues. Regular monthly meetings and peer mentorship or coaching are great places to start. Widely share information on mental health and psychological resilience. Cover these topics in monthly e-newsletters or hold a webinar series on mental health. Make sure internal and external referral lists for community and mental health resources are available and shared widely. Communicate broadly about internal processes and supports for those who may be struggling to stay productive at work while dealing with personal or mental health issues. Create a workplace culture where it’s safe to discuss mental health issues without fear of discrimination or reprimand. Have senior leaders share their commitment to mental health. If appropriate, having leaders share their personal or family experiences can be a powerful way to demonstrate commitment. Consider adding psychological health and safety as a standing agenda item for regular staff meetings.

Provide education to all staff on understanding signs and symptoms of mental health issues. Many public-domain, free resources exist; consider sharing these on a company intranet or through staff newsletters. Create opportunities for training and mentoring to enhance interpersonal and people management skills. Consider dedicating a certain amount of time or money annually on workshop or continuing education opportunities. The explosion of virtual, on-demand training offerings provides many cost-effective (and often free) options. Provide specific training so people leaders can adequately support those who are facing possible mental health difficulties. Ensure they understand signs, symptoms and how to start a conversation about mental health. Allocate necessary tools and supports (including time and coaching support) so leaders can succeed in psychologically supporting employees. Review third-party providers of psychological and counselling supports to ensure evidence-based treatment approaches are being utilized. Ask your third party providers to provide details on the credentials and approaches their providers take. Consider identifying and training internal champions to offer peer-to-peer support to those struggling with mental health issues.

Strive to understand the root cause of issues. When, where and how did the communication breakdowns begin? What factors have contributed over time? What worker and workplace factors are contributing? Try to identify specific, actionable next steps that can be taken to resolve issues. Understand what systemic issues exist within the work environment; whether related to leaders, workers, or overall organizational culture. Brainstorm some specific, tangible ways these issues could be approached. Encourage and model open and respectful workplace communication where individual and collective team strengths and weaknesses can be discussed. Ensure this across all levels of the organization. Encourage respectful workplace communication where mental health issues can be openly discussed in the same way physical health issues would be discussed. Ensure all staff are aware of internal and external benefits and resources to address workplace stress and how to effectively approach conflict.

If possible, provide benefits that support worker mental health. If your organization does not have a benefits program, consider public domain resources that you can share (e.g. mental health screening tools, supported self-management workbooks). Many free, evidence-based resources exist. Provide information on early intervention supports (e.g. crisis line numbers, community agencies/support groups, registered mental health professional services). Have formal and informal accommodations for mental health issues. Formal accommodations are typically documented and ongoing, and have a medical reasoning, while informal are typically more time-limited or temporary. Consider creating return-to-work and stay-at-work policies and programs. Have processes to address occupation-specific risks to psychological health, as well risks to specific subgroups (e.g. members of the LGBTQ+ community ; workers who are ESL/immigrants).

Maintain regular, supportive communication with those off work due to mental health concerns. Depending on the situation, this may be daily or weekly, but certainly should be at minimum monthly. Consider sending supportive ‘thinking of you’ messages. Keep team members informed on a need-to-know basis of important or meaningful workplace events or changes (e.g. a key team member retiring). Regularly ask if there is anything you or the workplace can do to help or support. When appropriate, support workers in finding regulated treatment providers who are trained in evidence-based treatment approaches. Publicly available resources for mental health issues are extremely limited, and navigating the system and knowing what to do and where to get help or support can be overwhelming. As such, the workplace can play a very important role here in supporting workers. Have an identified team member who facilitates work returns. Ensure this individual is knowledgeable about mental health and trained in psychologically safe skills, strategies and approaches. As required, collaborate with workers to create detailed return-to-work plans. Include a range of options for coping with mental health concerns as they may arise. Note that generally a graduated return to work will be preferable to a full return to work. Make sure to create plans to ensure sustained work return, including strategies to deal with possible recurrence of symptoms or challenges. Ensure at minimum weekly check-ins for the first one to three months, or longer as required.

Conduct regular (e.g. yearly) pulse check surveys. Consider administering the free Guarding Minds at Work worker survey that provides a risk report of strengths and areas for improvement as they pertain to psychological health and safety and the national standard. Encourage active engagement from workers. Provide a platform for workers to voice their current needs when it comes to psychological health support. This can easily be a “what is working” versus “what is not working” discussion on an internal messaging channel or a standing agenda item on regular team meetings. Ensure people leaders are comfortable with (appropriately) normalizing inherent difficulties faced within the workplace. The reality is that human beings are incredibly complex, and managing issues related to people isn’t always simple or straightforward. This opens communication avenues. Workers will feel validated in their struggles and more open to identifying their specific support needs. Strive to eliminate stigma for those facing mental health challenges. This makes it more likely workers will reach out for help earlier. Early detection and treatment, in turn, reduces the impacts of mental health issues.

What are the two key elements to psychological safety?

Increasing psychological safety in teams – Leaders as well as some aspects of the team can increase team members’ psychological safety. Two aspects of leadership have been shown to be particularly instrumental in creating a psychologically safe team. They are leaders using:

1. Participatory management
2. Inclusive management

There are also two aspects of a team that help improve its psychological safety. They are:

1. A clear team structure where members understand their role on the team
2. Strong relationships between cohesive team members

How to develop psychological safety and a speak up culture?

10 strategies for cultivating a culture of psychological safety – Psychological safety supports overall inclusion by allowing women and men to bring their whole selves to work, a concept to which Grant Thornton is strongly committed. Creating such a safe place provides a work environment where members from non-majority groups can share novel ideas and perspectives free from the risk of ridicule, rejection or penalty.

In this type of environment, in short, employees are more likely to leverage their differences for good than mask them. But actions speak louder than words. This psychologically safe workplace does not emerge on its own. Leaders must commit to fostering inclusion, innovation and a speak-up culture. They must model, promote and reward behaviors that promote a safe work environment.

Psychological safety can still be a fuzzy concept for organizations to wrap their head around. How to get started? Here are some steps to take:

Embrace a culture of respectful debate. Formally appoint a devil’s advocate to reduce anxiety around speaking out by separating the argument from the individual. Emphasize a cooperative approach to conflict focused around collective goals and success. For example, employees might jot their ideas down on Post-it notes placed around the room for colleagues to read. A manager facilitates the group discussion based on the ideas noted, seeking the best way to integrate them to achieve the group’s shared objectives.Encourage personal storytelling. Sharing personal experiences helps create authentic connections with employees and develops empathy, leading to psychological safety.Ask questions. Model curiosity and encourage employees to voice their diverse perspectives and ideas. Actively seek dissenting views and do not shut down ideas. When people feel that their managers want to hear from them and value their perspectives, they are more likely to provide input to discussions.Allow for experimentation and failure. Provide support when employees encounter challenges in their efforts to innovate and deliver results. Demonstrate to employees that it’s okay to take reasonable risks even if they don’t always succeed. Remind them that failure is an opportunity to learn by highlighting your own failures that contributed to ultimate breakthroughs.Dismantle perceptions of hierarchy. Differences related to professional rank can inhibit the sharing of ideas. Power differentials can skew contributions toward members with higher status. Challenge junior staff to question your ideas and reward those who do.Model openness to feedback. Demonstrate that you value employees’ views by employing 360 feedback and deliberately seeking employees’ real-time feedback on your leadership skills.Set clear goals and key performance indicators. Psychological safety is not about being nice or lowering performance standards. Rather, it recognizes diversity and collaboration’s contribution to high performance.Offer development opportunities. When leaders assign high-profile stretch assignments to women, it signals to their direct reports that they trust their capabilities.Build a speak-up culture. No one person can have all the answers, so encourage employees to contribute to decision-making through create collaboration. Stress that the uncertainty and complexity of the business environment necessitate new solutions that can be generated only through diverse ideas.Highlight competencies. Promote the sharing of knowledge about group members’ skills and competencies. Suggest that group members share their short-form CV with other members of the group. Highlight the unique contributions each individual brings to the table.

How can organizations motivate employees to promote safety and health in the workplace?

Actually Put Employee Feedback to Work When Assessing Safety Programs – When requesting employees to give feedback on safety issues, it’s crucial that you use that information to reassess the effectiveness of your program. After all, front-line employees can often give valuable information that can help your organization to improve safety practices.

What can organizations do to effectively manage the psychological contract?

WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO TO MANAGE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THEM AND EMPLOYEES? – Wangui Orimba Psychological contract refers to unwritten set of expectations, individual beliefs or perceptions of the employment relationship between employee and employer.

It is expected that there will be a symbiotic relationship and congruence in the employer-employee obligations. Some of these obligations are in the written formal contract of employment but most are implied as the name “psychological” suggests and not openly conversed. Unlike other contracts, psychological contract is perceptual and personal in nature.

Employees have expectations in terms of security of jobs, career development, promotions, pay, training, fair and equitable treatment and support with personal issues. Employers on the other hand expects the employee to remain loyal, protect the Company, be a good steward of the resources in the Company, be willing to work extra hours, to give advance notice when separating with the Company, be willing to accept transfer to other locations, to refuse to support competitors etc.

Employers expect discretionary effort from employees. Perceived violations happens when employees compare what they have received relative to what was promised or what they perceive as the commensurate reward for the efforts put. They then develop a sense of betrayal, distress, anger, resentment, a sense of injustice and wrongful harm.

This leads to job dissatisfaction, disengagement, demotivation, lowered organizational commitment, reduced productivity, lack of loyalty, and in some cases deviance. Some employees may opt to remain with the employer despite the adverse experiences. They respond by adopting a self-regulation process.

1. Some may reactivate the original pre-violation contract when issues are addressed, some in the absence of change form of a new contract that may be more or less attractive than the original one while others may fail to form a functional psychological contract with the employer.
2. It is critical for employers to manage these expectations so that they do not accidentally give promises that do not materialize and be perceived to violate the psychological contract.

Some of the processes managers need to be keen on include the following: 1) Recruitment Psychological contract begins to form during the hiring process and the hiring Team should communicate honestly and clearly about the roles and responsibilities of the employee and the employer.

Many HR have been accused of “over selling” the jobs creating unrealistic expectations, which when violated lead to dissatisfaction and lowered commitment. The Employee Value Proposition (EVP) being projected should be the reality on the ground. Clarity from the outset helps employees not to misinterpret obligations and entitlements.2) Career Growth The requirements for career growth should be well laid down.

Required competencies for different roles identified. Employees are keen to see who is being promoted. Do they merit the promotion? Are they performing? There should be perceived procedural justice in the promotion process. Employees want to see how succession management is handled.

Are the high potential staff being prepared over a period of time to enable them receive the baton from the leaders exiting the Institution? Is there proper coaching and mentoring being done for business continuity? Are companies doing leadership replacement with positions being occupied by those who do not merit to occupy the positions? 3) Company policies, rules and procedures There should be perceived distributive, procedural and interactional justice.

Is there justice in the decision making processes? How about fairness in distribution of rewards? Is there mutual respect leading to treatment in a respectable and dignified manner for all employees? Any incongruence in the expectations and reality on the ground becomes a perceived breach of the psychological contract.4) Performance Assessments and Feedback Line managers must give feedback on a regular basis in terms of formal assessment and continuous conversations.

This helps to clarify any unrealistic self-assessment and overrating by the employees. Employer also get to hear what they may need to improve on and thus dispelling any false belief on their end. Performance reviews offers an opportunity for the Company and employee to assess and agree upon future opportunities for responsibility and challenge, and any prospective involvement in the management of change.5) Training and Development Is training and development offered equitably for all employees? Opportunities should be availed to those with performance gaps and continuously for development purposes.

Employees feel valued and supported through training and development. Any unmet promises in this area will reduces management credibility and lower the trust that the employee has in the Company.6) Communication Psychological contract develops over time and is hinged on communication or lack of it.

Companies should have clear communication channels that are effective in the cascading and escalation of information. Employee voice need to be hearkened to. It is the only mean by which employees communicate their views to their employer, the way employees influence matters that affect them at work. For employers, effective employee voice contributes toward innovation, performance, productivity and overall improvement in the organization.

Further, the mutual obligations should be known to all and sundry. Adequate explanations and justifications for Organizational change must be communicated. In this way, employees are able to retain the trust and credibility in the face of actual violations occasioned by the changes.

• In conclusion, psychological contract is perceptual and idiosyncratic in nature making it harder to manage unlike other formal contracts.
• Employees expect equity and fairness from the employer.
• There should be perceived distributive, procedural and interactional justice.
• Employers expect performance and loyalty.

Employers must ensure that workplace justice and equity in all their processes is adhered to. They must ensure there is effective communication with adequate justification, explanations and clarity to avoid misrepresentation and misinterpretation. Sources- Various articles, internet and publications

What could your workplace do to improve psychological and social support?

What is psychological and social support? – Psychological and social support comprises all supportive social interactions available at work; either with co-workers or supervisors. It refers to the degree of social and emotional integration and trust among co-workers and supervisors.

It refers also to the level of help and assistance provided by others when one is performing tasks. Equally important are the workers’ perceptions and awareness of organizational support. When workers perceive organizational support, it means they believe their organization values their contributions, is committed to ensuring their psychological well-being and provides meaningful support if this well-being is compromised.

An organization with good psychological and social support would be able to state that:

The organization offers services or benefits that address worker psychological and mental health. Workers feel part of a community and that the people they are working with are helpful in fulfilling the job requirements. The organization has a process in place to intervene if an employee looks distressed while at work. Workers feel supported by the organization when they are dealing with personal or family issues. The organization supports workers who are returning to work after time off due to a mental health condition. People in the organization have a good understanding of the importance of worker mental health.

The more psychological and social support workers have, the more involved, committed and satisfied they are. Workers are happier and more productive, want to stay working with the organization for the long-term and are much more likely to ‘go the extra mile’ by engaging in organizational citizenship behaviours that help others.

Psychological support is especially helpful in protecting against stress and trauma at work. Workers who are emotionally distressed or dealing with a mental health issue will be more likely to seek and receive appropriate help. This helps them stay safe and productive at work – and, if absence from work is required, helps them get back to work quicker and stay at work.

Workers without psychological and social support are more likely to withdraw from work and have higher absenteeism rates. Conflict and staff turnover are more likely. Work stress may lead to physical symptoms (such as fatigue or headaches) or emotional symptoms (such as anxiety or burnout).

Get a sense of your staff’s needs and concerns regarding mental health. Some ways to do this are conducting an anonymous survey, placing a suggestion box in a staff room or adding mental health as an agenda item at a staff meeting. Share this information with all team members; this is a great first step in combating stigma towards mental health. It also demonstrates your organization’s commitment. Develop formal and informal networks to support management in dealing with mental health issues. Regular monthly meetings and peer mentorship or coaching are great places to start. Widely share information on mental health and psychological resilience. Cover these topics in monthly e-newsletters or hold a webinar series on mental health. Make sure internal and external referral lists for community and mental health resources are available and shared widely. Communicate broadly about internal processes and supports for those who may be struggling to stay productive at work while dealing with personal or mental health issues. Create a workplace culture where it’s safe to discuss mental health issues without fear of discrimination or reprimand. Have senior leaders share their commitment to mental health. If appropriate, having leaders share their personal or family experiences can be a powerful way to demonstrate commitment. Consider adding psychological health and safety as a standing agenda item for regular staff meetings.

Provide education to all staff on understanding signs and symptoms of mental health issues. Many public-domain, free resources exist; consider sharing these on a company intranet or through staff newsletters. Create opportunities for training and mentoring to enhance interpersonal and people management skills. Consider dedicating a certain amount of time or money annually on workshop or continuing education opportunities. The explosion of virtual, on-demand training offerings provides many cost-effective (and often free) options. Provide specific training so people leaders can adequately support those who are facing possible mental health difficulties. Ensure they understand signs, symptoms and how to start a conversation about mental health. Allocate necessary tools and supports (including time and coaching support) so leaders can succeed in psychologically supporting employees. Review third-party providers of psychological and counselling supports to ensure evidence-based treatment approaches are being utilized. Ask your third party providers to provide details on the credentials and approaches their providers take. Consider identifying and training internal champions to offer peer-to-peer support to those struggling with mental health issues.

Strive to understand the root cause of issues. When, where and how did the communication breakdowns begin? What factors have contributed over time? What worker and workplace factors are contributing? Try to identify specific, actionable next steps that can be taken to resolve issues. Understand what systemic issues exist within the work environment; whether related to leaders, workers, or overall organizational culture. Brainstorm some specific, tangible ways these issues could be approached. Encourage and model open and respectful workplace communication where individual and collective team strengths and weaknesses can be discussed. Ensure this across all levels of the organization. Encourage respectful workplace communication where mental health issues can be openly discussed in the same way physical health issues would be discussed. Ensure all staff are aware of internal and external benefits and resources to address workplace stress and how to effectively approach conflict.

If possible, provide benefits that support worker mental health. If your organization does not have a benefits program, consider public domain resources that you can share (e.g. mental health screening tools, supported self-management workbooks). Many free, evidence-based resources exist. Provide information on early intervention supports (e.g. crisis line numbers, community agencies/support groups, registered mental health professional services). Have formal and informal accommodations for mental health issues. Formal accommodations are typically documented and ongoing, and have a medical reasoning, while informal are typically more time-limited or temporary. Consider creating return-to-work and stay-at-work policies and programs. Have processes to address occupation-specific risks to psychological health, as well risks to specific subgroups (e.g. members of the LGBTQ+ community ; workers who are ESL/immigrants).

Maintain regular, supportive communication with those off work due to mental health concerns. Depending on the situation, this may be daily or weekly, but certainly should be at minimum monthly. Consider sending supportive ‘thinking of you’ messages. Keep team members informed on a need-to-know basis of important or meaningful workplace events or changes (e.g. a key team member retiring). Regularly ask if there is anything you or the workplace can do to help or support. When appropriate, support workers in finding regulated treatment providers who are trained in evidence-based treatment approaches. Publicly available resources for mental health issues are extremely limited, and navigating the system and knowing what to do and where to get help or support can be overwhelming. As such, the workplace can play a very important role here in supporting workers. Have an identified team member who facilitates work returns. Ensure this individual is knowledgeable about mental health and trained in psychologically safe skills, strategies and approaches. As required, collaborate with workers to create detailed return-to-work plans. Include a range of options for coping with mental health concerns as they may arise. Note that generally a graduated return to work will be preferable to a full return to work. Make sure to create plans to ensure sustained work return, including strategies to deal with possible recurrence of symptoms or challenges. Ensure at minimum weekly check-ins for the first one to three months, or longer as required.

Conduct regular (e.g. yearly) pulse check surveys. Consider administering the free Guarding Minds at Work worker survey that provides a risk report of strengths and areas for improvement as they pertain to psychological health and safety and the national standard. Encourage active engagement from workers. Provide a platform for workers to voice their current needs when it comes to psychological health support. This can easily be a “what is working” versus “what is not working” discussion on an internal messaging channel or a standing agenda item on regular team meetings. Ensure people leaders are comfortable with (appropriately) normalizing inherent difficulties faced within the workplace. The reality is that human beings are incredibly complex, and managing issues related to people isn’t always simple or straightforward. This opens communication avenues. Workers will feel validated in their struggles and more open to identifying their specific support needs. Strive to eliminate stigma for those facing mental health challenges. This makes it more likely workers will reach out for help earlier. Early detection and treatment, in turn, reduces the impacts of mental health issues.

How a safety management system helps an organization to improve its safety?

6 Benefits of the Best Safety Management System – A safety management system (SMS) is an organizational tool that manages risks and accidents more effectively. An SMS helps identify and report hazards while deploying the resources to keep workplaces safe.

In addition, these systems help with compliance by helping companies meet local regulations. Safety management can be a challenge, especially when laws change depending on the jurisdiction, industry sector, or specific occupation. A well-designed SMS meets the specific needs of each company, which include internal safety policies and legally-required paperwork such as hazard assessments.

Ignoring safety can have severe consequences, and companies may face legal action even when no workers are harmed in an accident. Each year, the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada provides updated statistics about workplace accidents.

There were 264,438 lost time claims due to injuries or occupational diseases in 2018 – the latest year for which data is available as of February 2021. An online safety management system protects workers while helping the company avoid major expenses. According to several studies, workplace safety investments return up to three times their cost in avoided accidents.

These are just 6 key benefits of the best safety management systems.

Jack Gloop