MHCC Online Guide - January 2012 - (Page 47)

Psychological Health & Safety An action guide for employers | Psychological Health and Safety of Managers: A Critical Issue Psychological Health and Safety of Managers: A Critical Issue A recent Health Canada study found that individuals in managerial positions are the ones having the most difficulty with work-home balance. They are at higher risk for psychological health problems than other employees, and work-home imbalance is one of the major causes. Managers have been recognized for their loyalty and willingness to contribute time and effort – but this recognition may come at a steep cost, if they lose sight of their own PH&S. It has been found that the psychological health of managers affects the psychological health of those who report to them: if a manager is overly worried, significantly depressed, tense and angry or suffering the effects of excessive alcohol use, everyone on the work team will be affected. This has been called “emotional contagion” and it’s easy to see how it might happen. For example, the manager who feels overwhelmingly stressed by work pressures may become excessively critical or adopt a bullying approach, and this management style raises the risk for anxiety, depression or disruptive anger in his or her work group. If the manager’s own psychological difficulties are not addressed, there may be a miniepidemic of psychological difficulties and absence in this group. What is noticed is what we do. The manager who shows poor psychological self-management; who maintains a poor balance between work and home; or whose performance is obviously affected by depression, anxiety or anger; will be a poor model for directly-reporting employees. There may also be a risk of emotional contagion to peers and senior management, communicating an organizational culture of poor psychological self-management. This will have a greater impact on employees than policy statements about PH&S. In the words of one corporate health consultant, “organizational culture beats policy, every time”. Psychologically healthy managers are better managers. Such managers are invaluable within an organization, inspiring engagement, productivity and commitment in others. And if emotional contagion can spread negative psychological states or poor coping, it can also spread positive psychological health and better coping! The manager can serve as a positive role model for handling PH&S, demonstrating effective work-life balance, workload management, resilience, conflict resolution and goal setting. It may be that focusing PH&S efforts on managers will create positive changes throughout the entire workforce. 47 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MHCC Online Guide - January 2012

MHCC Online Guide - January 2012
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
About the Guide
The P6 Framework and ISO Format
Policy
Planning
Promotion
Prevention
Process
Persistence
PH&S in Small Business
Psychological Health and Safety of Managers: A Critical Issue
Integrating Mental Health Care and the Workplace
Closing Comments

MHCC Online Guide - January 2012

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