HUMAN Capital - Fall 2015 - (Page 30)

FEATURE Hr's role in Creating and Maintaining a PsYCHoLogiCaLLY safe worK environment a psychologically safe workplace is one where there is clear and supportive leadership, where employees feel engaged and valued and where there is respect and civility demonstrated for one another. bY JoHaNNe eDWarDS, JeSSICa rIPPlINGer, GuIomar rouIllarD aND JeNNIFer YellaND each year, one in five people in Canada experience a mental health problem or illness, with a cost to the Canadian economy in excess of $50 billion per year. annually, over 500,000 Canadians miss work for mental health reasons (including psychological harm) accounting for more than $6 billion in lost productivity costs. mental health takes a toll on employees, teams, and on the bottom line. Psychological harm such as disrespectful behaviours (bullying, harassment), lack of clear leadership, exposure to excessive amounts of stress, and failure to appropriately address ongoing "psychological" workplace issues have a negative impact on employees' health (both physical and mental) as well as the productivity of the workplace. If psychological harms are not addressed they can impact morale, contribute to turn over and negatively 30 | www.hria.ca impact an organization's reputation out in the marketplace. a psychologically safe workplace is one where there is clear and supportive leadership, where employees feel engaged and valued and where there is respect and civility demonstrated for one another. In alberta, there is a legislative requirement which further encourages a psychologically safe work environment. In December 2012 there was a legislative change and now 'psychological harm' in the workplace is accepted as compensable by WCb claims. Creating safe workplaces Creating a safe workplace requires education, awareness of gaps, tools for leaders to create mental health and psychological safety, and communicating clear organizational expectations. 1. Education: It starts with education. Hr professionals need to understand what a psychologically safe work environment is. To assist organizations and Hr practitioners, the Canadian Standards association has published a voluntary standard for workplaces that outlines what can be done to - harm and promote a psychologically safe workplace. The standard is a voluntary set of guidelines, and includes tools and resources focused on promoting employees' psychological health and preventing psychological harm due to workplace factors. 2. Identifying gaps: Creating a safe workplace requires identifying gaps in policies and procedures. This review may include reviewing investigation and complaint tracking information, focus groups with managers and employees, surveys http://www.hria.ca

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of HUMAN Capital - Fall 2015

Leadership Matters
Tech Talk
Building for Success at Alberta Health Services
Fostering Collaboration and Consultation in Developing AHS’s People Strategy
AHS HR Service Delivery Model
Transforming HR in AHS
Implementing Organizational Change Adoption
Leadership Development and the LEA DS in a Caring Environment Capabilities Framework
Blurred Lines: Human Resources and Health-Care Information
Curbing Absenteeism
HR’s Role in Creating and Maintaining a Psychologically Safe Work Environment
HR’s Response in an Emergency Natural Disaster
Legal Source
Policy Corner
Index of Advertisers/ Advertisers.com

HUMAN Capital - Fall 2015