Taking Action to improve Psychological Health & Safety in

the Workplace

CIRPD Conference 2014

Merv Gilbert, PhD, RPsych

Partner, Psych Health + Safety Consulting Adjunct Professor, CARMHA, Simon Fraser University Chair, BCPA Psychologically Healthy Workplace Committee Steering Committee, APA Centre for Organizational Excellence

Love and work are the

cornerstones of our

Humanness.

But for too many adults, their work is experienced as compromising their

psychological (mental) health

Impact of poor psychological health • Estimated to cost the Canadian economy

$50 billion dollars/year (+)

• Fastest rising cause of long term disability, main cause in some (e.g. health care)

• Longer periods of absence than most other disorders (e.g. diabetes, back pain, cardiac disease)

• Raises the risk for other psychological and physical disorders

• Contributes to accidents, injuries and incidents

“Therein we have one of the fundamental paradoxes we face today:

Work is good for your mental health and work can make you crazy”

Out of the Shadows at Last:

Transforming Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction

Services in Canada (2006)

Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and

Technology

Honourable Michael J. L. Kirby, Chair

The Standard focuses on mental illness prevention and mental health promotion in the workplace. It is intended to help prevent harm to all people in the workplace, whether or not they have had a lived experience with mental illness.

“(A workplace) in which every practical effort is made to avoid foreseeable injury to the mental health of employees.”

The National Standard for Canada: Psychological health and safety in the

workplace — Prevention, promotion, and guidance to staged implementation

Employers have a choice:

Do nothing: Outcome is increased costs, decreased productivity/morale, loss of skilled workforce, increased liability

Act: Outcome is decreased costs, increased productivity/morale, recruitment/retention of staff and discretionary effort

7

Goal: Create psychologically healthy and safe workplaces that meet the needs of employers and employees

What does a psychologically safe and healthy workplace look like?

• Staff are proud of their organisation and care about the work that they do

• Opportunities for input into how work is done

• Ongoing learning & development at all levels

• Interactions are courteous and respectful

• Workplace psychosocial hazards are promptly identified and dealt with

• Staff experiencing distress are supported

The APA Psychologically Healthy Workplace Model

How to improve workplace PH&S

1. Take a strategic approach

2. Assess and address risks to PH&S

3. Train Managers in engaged performance management

4. Train employees in psychological safety skills

5. Provide timely support to staff who are struggling

Source: Psychological Health & Safety: An Action Guide for Employers

Available at www.carmha.ca

Take a Strategic Approach

Integrated into the organizational plan, vision and values

- Commitment & communication from senior management

-Meaningful employee involvement

-Based on a clear business case

E.g. Measure of Organizational Readiness for Psychological Health (MORPH)

Assess and address PH&S

risks

Most organizations have a number of policies, programs and practices that impact employee psychological health and safety, both positively and negatively.

-Employee Input (surveys, focus groups, etc.)

- Key indicators (absence, STD/LTD, benefits utilization, grievances…)

e.g. Guarding Minds @ Work

Provide manager training

It is critical to give managers the skills to respond to staff showing behaviours that may indicate a psychological health or safety issue.

Resources are available that provide manager training of varying degrees of intensity (in-person, online, written materials).

E.g. Mental Health Works

Train employees in Psychological

Health and Safety skills

Not one size fits all approach, adapted to fit the needs of the worker, the workplace and the organization

Resiliency training

Problem-Solving

Communication skills

Psychological Health capabilities, (not just awareness raising)

E.g. Coaching Antidepressant Self-care Skills (CASS)

Provide timely and relevant support to

employees who are struggling

Addressing psychological health problems at an early stage can prevent more serious problems, functional impairment and long term disability

Provide access to good work oriented self-care tools & psychological treatment

Support safe & productive stay at work

Psychologically oriented disability management

E.g. Psychologically & Occupationally Responsive Treatment (PORT)

The BCPA Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program

• Mission: to enhance and ensure the health, productivity and sustainability of Canadian workers and workplaces

• Members: psychologists, business leaders, academics and informed professionals volunteering their time and expertise

• Actions: Provide education and recognition for British Columbia organizations to enhance psychologically healthy and safe workplaces

For more information: http://www.phwa.ca/

An Example: Brookhaven Extended Care Facility

Questions? Comments?

Merv Gilbert merv@psychsafety.org