Psychological security and safety

Why this matters

Security and safety require proactive, prompt and supportive responses to all threats to psychological and physical safety in the workplace.

Here are some benefits of psychological security and safety in the workplace:

• Risk of critical incidents is reduced 
• Helps prevent stress-related absences and injuries  
• Loyalty and retention are improved
• Trust in leadership increases

Suggested actions and resources by statement

1. I ensure the mental and emotional effort required by my employees to do their work is reasonable.
   • Evidence-based actions for psychological competencies and demands These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
   • Evidence-based actions for workload management These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
2. I require employees to take their entitled breaks and time off (e.g., lunchtime, breaks, vacation time).
   • Communicate the importance of breaks and time off to the overall performance and productivity of each employee.
   • Prevent burnout Strategies to help identify risks and prevent burnout for yourself.
3. My team knows that I support and encourage them to maintain healthy work-life harmony.
   • Evidence-based actions for balance These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
   • Work-life balance tips Balancing your work and personal life can be challenging and stressful at times. These tips and strategies can help.
   • Healthy break activities Subscribe to weekly Take Your Break emails for activities that support good mental health at work. These low to no-cost break activities can help you energize, calm your mind or relax your body.
   • Learning to recharge workshop This workshop introduces different approaches to wellness breaks at work. These ideas can help energize, calm the mind and relax the body. Engaging your team in all of the activities allows each individual to choose the ones that best support them on any given day.
4. When an employee expresses a conflict between work and personal demands, they trust me to support them in finding an effective solution.
   • Some of the ideas in A tool to support employee success may help you to develop solutions.
   • Health resources Tools and resources for managing your own health and wellness, as well as information for helping others. Find credible information about managing well-being and mental health-related concerns.
5. I model healthy work-life harmony in what I say and do.
   • Leaders who burnout are not good models for balance, check out Prevent burnout and Burnout response for leaders.
6. I respond in an effective and timely manner to any potential risks to employee psychological safety.
   • Evidence-based actions for psychological protection These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
7. I effectively support employees during and after times of crisis or trauma.
   • Crisis response for leaders Strategies to prevent, prepare for and react effectively in times of distress. Thoughtful measures can help you facilitate the best possible response while reducing stress for everyone involved.
   • Psychosis and how to help in a crisis How to help someone who is experiencing psychosis until professional help arrives or the crisis resolves. Learn about warning signs, symptoms, de-escalation and how to be supportive and safe.
   • Communicating with emotional employees These strategies can help you have supportive conversations with employees and avoid triggering negative reactions.
   • Trauma in organizations Help prepare leaders and employees to respond to traumatic incidents at work. Planning ahead can help reduce negative mental health effects.
8. I recognize and address the psychological impact of verbal, sexual or physical bullying, discrimination, harassment, or violence at work.
   1. Communicating with emotional employees These strategies can help you have supportive conversations with employees and avoid triggering negative reactions.
   2. Suicide response for leaders Strategies for supporting employees when a co-worker has died by or attempted suicide. This resource covers return to work for an employee who has attempted suicide.
   3. Violence response for leaders Questions for assessing an employee's propensity for violence in the workplace. Consider recommending that the employee see a trauma counsellor.
   4. Employee mental health issues When employees have mental illnesses, effective accommodation can help them stay productive at work. Learn to leverage resources, manage co-worker reactions and support a successful return to work after leave.
9. I effectively address and resolve situations that may threaten or harm employee psychological health or safety including from clients, customers or patients.
   • Conflict response for leaders The following conflict resolution process provides a guideline and techniques that can be helpful in managing a conflict between co-workers. This can be especially effective when stress or mental health is a factor. This respectful approach focuses on solutions rather than disagreement.
   • Evidence-based actions for civility and respect These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
10. Employees feel comfortable speaking to me about risks to their psychological safety.
    • Building trust for leaders Learn how to show your employees you’re trustworthy by exploring these core competencies and behaviours.
11. I respond in an effective and timely manner to any potential risks to employee physical safety.
    • Listening to understand for leaders This approach can help you understand the perspective of someone who is upset.
    • Choose your words Learn how your choice of words can make a difficult conversation even more difficult.
12. I ensure employees have the resources, knowledge, and skills needed to do their job in a physically safe manner.
    • Evidence-based actions for protection of physical safety These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
13. I respond promptly to concerns raised by employees about physical safety.
    1. Evidence-based actions for protection of physical safety These actions and responses can be implemented with a minimal investment of resources or cost to the organization.
    2. Listening to understand for leaders This approach can help you understand the perspective of someone who is upset.
    3. Choose your words Learn how your choice of words can make a difficult conversation even more difficult.
14. I recognize and address the psychological impact of illnesses, accidents, or injuries at work.
    • Accommodation strategies Safely support productivity for employees with mental health issues who are at work or returning to work. Engage employees in solutions related to performance and well-being.
15. Employees feel comfortable speaking to me about risks to their physical safety.
    • Building trust for leaders Learn how to show your employees you’re trustworthy by exploring these core competencies and behaviours.

Take the psychologically safe leader assessment

Assessment