Traditionally health and safety committees focused on physical hazards and risks. Today, the link between a worker’s focus and attention and their risk for injury and accident is well documented (National Safety Council, 2023). Psychological health and safety at work affect focus and attention.
The questions that follow are intended to help health and safety committees integrate psychological health and safety into their existing processes.
Each psychosocial factor, as identified in the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, has been adapted for health and safety committees. The questions for committee members can also be asked of workers and there’s a separate list of questions for leaders. By asking the following questions, committee members can learn about firsthand experiences with, and overall impressions about, each factor in their work environment.
These questions can be part of an anonymous survey, a focus group discussion or individual interviews. The responses can support recommendations for risk mitigation and overall improvement.
For help with potential low-cost or no-cost strategies to mitigate risk, review the ideas in Evidence-based actions for psychological health and safety. For various approaches to evaluating outcomes, review Evaluation planning for psychological health and safety.
Questions by psychosocial factor:
Balance
Questions for committee members:
- How does our organization promote work-life balance?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- What approaches, if any, do we have to help prevent burnout?
Civility and respect
Questions for committee members:
- How does our organization effectively address inappropriate behaviour by co-workers, customers or clients?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think employees from all backgrounds are treated fairly in our workplace?
- How do you ensure this?
Clear leadership and expectations
Questions for committee members:
- Does every employee know what they’re expected to do at work? If not, why not?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think supervisors support every employee to do their job successfully?
- What are the challenges to giving this support?
Engagement
Questions for committee members:
- Are all employees committed to the success of their team? If not, why not?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you believe all employees feel proud of the work they do?
- What leadership strategies help to promote this experience?
Growth and development
Questions for committee members:
- Do all employees receive feedback that supports their personal growth? How does this happen?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think all supervisors provide helpful feedback on employee performance?
- If so, how?
Involvement and influence
Questions for committee members:
- Are all employees’ opinions and suggestions considered at work? How does this happen?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think all employees feel comfortable talking to their immediate supervisor about how they do their work – as opposed to which tasks they must complete?
- What supports this level of comfort?
Organizational culture
Questions for committee members:
- Do employees and management trust one another? If not, what’s getting in the way?
- What risks might this level of trust present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think employees feel a sense of community at work?
- How do we support this?
Psychological competencies and demands
Questions for committee members:
- Does the organization prepare employees to deal with the psychological demands of their job? How’s this done, especially in terms of dealing with customers or clients?
- What risks might this practice present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Does promotion to leadership positions consider the “people skills” necessary?
- How does this process happen?
Psychological protection
Questions for committee members:
- Would employees describe their workplace as being psychologically safe? For example, would they say they’re free from psychological harm?
- What risks might the current work environment present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do you think employees feel this organization makes efforts to prevent harm from bullying and harassment?
- If so, how?
Psychological and social support
Questions for committee members:
- Are employees with disabilities supported to do their jobs effectively? If not, what are the barriers?
- What risks might this level of support present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Are employees helped to cope with work stress?
- If so, how?
Workload management
Workload management is usually outside of scope for health and safety committees. This can present a significant risk to the psychological safety of employees. You can engage leaders in a discussion about this psychosocial factor with the following questions:
Questions for leaders :
- Do all managers and team leaders have the skills, resources and time needed to do our jobs well?
- What risks might these factors present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Share this with those who are members of health and safety committees.