Evidence-based actions for psychological protection

Implement these actions and responses at low or no cost to the organization.

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Description: In a work environment with adequate psychological protection, employees are free from bullying, harassment, stigma and discrimination. 

You can access our free workshop materials to start a discussion on any risks to psychological safety at work and how to address them.

Create effective policies to protect psychological safety. 

Ensuring psychological safety is more than the policy. 

  • It involves ongoing education, implementation and evaluation. Train employees and leaders on your organization’s policies and programs involving: 
    • Harassment (verbal, physical, or sexual) at work
    • Discrimination at work
    • Trauma
    • Violence at work 
    • Supporting employees with personal or health issues
    • Accommodation
    • Conflict resolution 
    • Complaints or grievances 
  • Train leadership on how to create a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. A great place to start is by exploring Building trust for leaders
  • Check out the Psychologically safe leader assessment for leadership strategies that can help. Assign it to leaders or encourage them to use it for their personal and confidential development.
  • Encourage Psychologically safe interactions and identify which behaviours may come across negatively.
  • Help your team to Choose their words. It can help them understand how their words could make a conversation more difficult.

Resolve any threats to psychological safety effectively. 

  • Provide safe opportunities for employees to identify and remedy psychological safety concerns. 
  • Provide internal or external support to employees who’ve experienced psychological distress. 
  • See the helpful process tips found in Violence prevention

Additional actions and resources  

Putting psychological protection on the agenda provides you with materials to discuss and support policy review and development.

Adapted from Guarding Minds at Work™

Guarding Minds at Work was commissioned by Canada Life and additional resources are supported by Workplace Strategies for Mental Health.

Citations.title

  1. Samra, J., Gilbert, M., Shain, M., & Bilsker, D. (2009-2020). Guarding Minds at Work. With amendments by Stuart, H. (2022). All rights reserved. Website development and data storage by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).

Contributors include.articlesDan BilskerDavid K. MacDonaldDr. Heather StuartDr. Joti SamraDr. Martin ShainMary Ann BayntonMerv GilbertPhilip PerczakSarah JennerSusan JakobsonWorkplace Safety and Prevention ServicesWorkplace Strategies team 2022 to present

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