Traditionally Health and Safety Committees focused on physical hazards and risks. Today, the additional link between the focus and attention of each worker and their risk for injury and accident is well documented (Nation Safety Council, 2023). Focus and attention are affected by psychological health and safety at work.
The questions that follow are intended to help health and safety committees integrate psychological health and safety into their existing processes.
Each psychosocial factor, as identified in the National Standard of Canada on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, has been adapted for health and safety committees. There are questions for committee members that they can answer themselves or ask of workers about their experience with the factor, and questions to ask of leaders.
These questions can be part of an anonymous survey, a focus group discussion or individual interviews. The responses can support recommendations for risk mitigation and overall improvement.
For help with potential low-cost or no-cost strategies to mitigate risk, review the ideas provided in Evidence-based actions for psychological health and safety. For various approaches to evaluating outcomes, review Evaluation planning for psychological health and safety.
Questions by psychosocial factor:
Balance
Questions for committee members:
- How does our organization promote work-life balance?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- What approaches, if any, do we have to help prevent burnout?
Civility and respect
Questions for committee members:
- How does our organization effectively address inappropriate behaviour by co-workers, customers or clients?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Are employees from all backgrounds treated fairly in our workplace?
- How do you ensure this?
Clear leadership and expectations
Questions for committee members:
- Does every employee know what they’re expected to do at work? If not, why not?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do supervisors support every employee to do their job successfully?
- What are the challenges to doing this?
Engagement
Questions for committee members:
- Are all employees committed to the success of their team? If not, why not?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do all employees feel proud of the work they do?
- What leadership strategies help to promote this?
Growth and development
Questions for committee members:
- Do all employees receive feedback that supports their personal growth? How does this happen?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do all supervisors provide helpful feedback on employee performance?
- If so, how?
Involvement and influence
Questions for committee members:
- Are all employees’ opinions and suggestions considered at work? How does this happen?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do all employees feel comfortable talking to their immediate supervisor about how they do their work? (As opposed to which tasks they must complete)
- What supports this?
Organizational culture
Questions for committee members:
- Do employees and management trust one another? If not, what is getting in the way?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do employees feel a sense of community at work?
- How do we support this?
Psychological competencies and demands
Questions for committee members:
- Does the organization prepare employees to deal with the psychological demands of their job? How is this done, especially in terms of dealing with customers or clients?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Does promotion to leadership positions consider the “people skills” necessary?
- How does this happen?
Psychological protection
Questions for committee members:
- Would employees describe their workplace as being psychologically safe? (e.g. free from psychological harm)
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Do employees feel that this organization makes efforts to prevent harm from bullying and harassment?
- If so, how?
Psychological and social support
Questions for committee members:
- Are employees with disabilities supported to do their jobs effectively? If not, what are the barriers?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
Questions for leaders:
- Are employees helped to cope with work stress?
- If so, how?
Workload management
Workload management is usually outside of scope for health and safety committees, but this can present a significant risk to the psychological safety of employees. Engaging leaders in a discussion about this psychosocial factor can include the following:
Questions for leaders :
- Do all managers and team leaders have the skills, resources and time needed to do their job well?
- What risks might this present to psychological safety?
- What do we recommend for risk mitigation?
References
- National Safety Council. (2023). Workers Who Feel Psychologically Safe Less Likely to be Injured at Work. Retrieved from: https://www.nsc.org/workplace/safety-topics/psychological-safety-correlates-to-physical-safety