Work can make a big difference in people’s mental health and well-being. Working in a psychologically healthy and safe working environment can make people feel good about themselves and give them a sense of purpose. Whereas, working in a psychologically unhealthy or unsafe work environment can lead to burnout. In North America, 77% of employees experience burnout based on Deloitte’s Survey. In Canada, about 42% of professionals report feeling burned out based on a recent survey conducted by Robert Half. These statistics highlight the important role workplaces play in influencing individuals’ mental health and well-being.

The Importance of Psychological Health & Safety

Instead of focusing on “fixing” or “treating” individual employees, psychological health and safety looks at how the whole workplace environment influences employee’s mental health and well-being.

This includes factors such as leadership, culture, workload, and respect at work. The way people treat each other at work, and how the workplace is organized and run all play a part in creating a psychologically healthy and safe – or unhealthy and unsafe – environment.

Dan Reist, a former BC-based health researcher, said: “If the frogs in a pond all started behaving strangely, our first instinct would not be to punish them or to treat them. Instinctively, we would wonder what was going on in the pond.”

To acknowledge the importance and the impact of the work environment on people’s mental health and well-being, the Mental Health Commission of Canada has introduced “The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace” and has defined a Psychologically Healthy and Safe Workplace as “a workplace that promotes workers’ psychological well-being and actively works to prevent harm to worker psychological health, including in negligent, reckless or intentional ways.”

As you can see from the definition, initiatives and programs focused on improving psychological health and safety can be categorized into two main categories: (1) enhancing wellness (more positive things at work such as respect and recognition), and (2) minimizing the risk of psychological harm (less bad things at work such as bullying or harassment).

In a Psychologically Healthy and Safe work environment, employees feel comfortable expressing their ideas, sharing their concerns, asking questions, and making mistakes. Or as Dr. Amy Edmondson puts it, “it’s felt permission for candor – without any fear of negative consequences or repercussions”.

The Benefits of a Psychologically Healthier and Safer Work Environment

Research has shown that in a psychologically healthy and safe work environment, there is a higher likelihood that:

1. Teams feel safe to try new ideas and think creatively
2. People feel comfortable taking calculated risks without fear of judgment
3. Employees actively seek opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge
4. The workplace benefits from different perspectives and ways of thinking
5. Teams handle changes and challenges with resilience and flexibility
6. People communicate openly and honestly with each other
7. Team members understand and support each other’s experiences
8. Strong relationships built on mutual respect develop naturally

When teams experience these positive dynamics – from open communication to mutual trust – they naturally create more welcoming and respectful work environments. People feel valued for their unique contributions and perspectives. This inclusive atmosphere encourages everyone to bring their authentic selves to work and makes it easier to share ideas, raise concerns, and work together effectively. As a result, the workplace becomes a space where everyone feels happy and engaged with their work.

How Do You Build Psychological Health and Safety?

Based on the National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety from the Mental Health Commission of Canada, there are 13 factors or pillars of psychological health and safety in the workplace:

1. Organizational Culture
2. Psychological and Social Support
3. Clear Leadership & Expectations
4. Civility & Respect
5. Psychological Demands
6. Growth & Development
7. Recognition & Reward
8. Involvement & Influence
9. Workload Management
10. Engagement
11. Balance
12. Psychological Protection
13. Protection of Physical Safety

Although these 13 factors are the key pillars of a Psychologically Healthy Workplace, Mental Health Commission of Canada and HealthCareCAN recently introduced and added two new factors, especially for healthcare organizations:

14. Protection from Moral Distress
15. Support for Psychological Self-Care

To document and achieve compliance with Psychological Health & Safety Standard (CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013), Mental Health Commission of Canada and CSA have provided a guideline, that encourages organizations to collect data and document the programs and policies that are established to improve mental health and reduce mental harm – in all stages of strategy, planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

• Strategy: This stage includes assessing your current state, identifying key stakeholders, and developing a clear vision for what you want to achieve. This may involve gathering baseline data about workplace mental health, reviewing existing policies, and securing leadership commitment. The strategy should consider available resources and potential barriers to implementation.
• Planning: This stage includes setting specific, measurable goals, establishing timelines, allocating resources, and assigning responsibilities. Organizations also identify priority areas based on their initial assessment, develop specific policies and procedures, and create mechanisms for measuring success. The plan should consider both preventive measures and responsive supports.
• Implementation: This stage includes rolling out new policies, programs, and procedures while providing necessary training and resources to all stakeholders. This stage involves actively engaging employees at all levels, establishing clear communication channels, and creating support systems. Implementation should be systematic and well-documented, with attention to maintaining consistency across different departments or units.
• Evaluation: This stage includes analyzing data on program participation, measuring changes in workplace mental health indicators or relevant KPIs, gathering employee feedback, and reviewing incident reports. The evaluation should consider both quantitative and qualitative measures to get a comprehensive understanding of program impact.
• Continuous Improvement: This stage includes identifying gaps, addressing emerging needs, and updating programs and policies accordingly. The focus is on sustaining positive changes while continuously adapting to new challenges and opportunities. This stage emphasizes the dynamic nature of workplace mental health and the need for ongoing commitment to improvement.

Following these recommendations will most likely provide you with a great first step to ensure compliance with the psychological health and safety standard.

Every employee plays an important role in improving the work environment and getting closer to a Psychologically Healthy and Safe work environment by learning about what makes people feel safe and supported at work, and then taking steps to make those changes happen.

When workers and managers work together to make even small improvements to support mental health at work, everyone in the company will benefit from it.

Ehsan Etezad, PhD(c) in Applied Organizational Psychology, is a Co-Founder and CEO at MEUS Science and has expertise in workplace wellness and psychological health & safety. You can connect with Ehsan on LinkedIn, join the other 16,000 subscribers of his globally-recognized newsletter Weekly Performance Science, or send him a direct email at ehsan@withmeus.com.