Specific clauses in the National Standard require a level of competence and training for leaders. We examine how the Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment supports compliance with these requirements.
The National Standard acknowledges that organizations need to ensure those in leadership roles have the training and skills to “prevent psychological harm, promote psychological health of workers, and address problems related to psychological health and safety.” It also states the organization should establish and sustain processes to assess and address leaders for this competency.
The following section of the Standard focuses specifically on the competence of those in leadership roles:
4.4.6 Competence and training
4.4.6.1
The organization shall establish and sustain processes to
a) determine expectations and minimum requirements of workers and, in particular, those in leadership roles (e.g., supervisors, managers, worker representatives, union leadership) to prevent psychological harm, promote psychological health of workers, and address problems related to psychological health and safety; and
b) provide orientation and training to meet Item a).
4.4.6.2
The organization should establish and sustain processes to
a) provide accessible coaching and supports as required, recognizing the potential complexities of psychological health and safety situations, the unique needs of the individuals affected, and the skills needed; and
b) assess and address competence as specified in Clause 4.4.6.1, Item a) of those in leadership roles.
What is a psychologically safe leader?
Psychologically safe leadership is identified by the National Standard as leadership that:
- Reinforces the development and sustainability of a psychologically healthy and safe workplace environment based on a foundation of ethics and stated values
- Supports and reinforces all line management in the implementation of a psychological health and safety management system
- Establishes key objectives toward continual improvement of psychological health and safety in the workplace
- Leads and influences organizational culture in a positive way
- Ensures psychological health and safety is part of organizational decision-making processes
- Engages employees and, where required, their representatives to:
- Be aware of the importance of psychological health and safety
- Be aware of the implications of tolerating psychological health and safety hazards
- Give feedback to help the organization determine the effectiveness of the implementation and operation
- Identify workplace needs regarding psychological health and safety
This resource helps leaders to both assess and improve their competence in psychologically safe leadership.
How is psychologically safe leadership different from psychological health and safety in the workplace?
A psychologically safe leader is one who does no harm to the psychological well-being of their employees both in and out of the workplace. They prioritize open communication and supportive relationships within their team. Similarly, a psychologically healthy and safe workplace promotes employees’ psychological well-being. The workplace actively prevents harm to employee psychological health in negligent, reckless, intentional and other ways.
While psychologically safe leadership is a core element of an overall healthy work environment, the two don’t always go hand-in-hand. A psychologically safe leader might work in a psychologically unsafe environment. An otherwise psychologically safe work environment might have a psychologically unsafe leader.
The National Standard describes evidence-based psychosocial factors of a psychologically healthy and safe workplace. The assessment captures these psychosocial factors across the following 5 core assessment domains:
- Communication and collaboration
- Social intelligence
- Problem solving and conflict management
- Security and safety
- Fairness and integrity
The primary and secondary psychosocial factors within each of the domains are described below. It’s important to note the domains aren’t mutually exclusive and there will be some overlap across categories. Each link brings you to a team discussion resource that’s part of the On the agenda workshop series. These provide further explanation and are also free for you to use.
Communication and collaboration
Effective communication involves the clear, timely and transparent exchange of information that supports employees’ success at work. Respectful and inclusive collaboration engages every team member in ongoing conversations related to their work. Learn more about communication and collaboration.
Communication and collaboration include the following psychosocial factors:
Primary
Clear leadership and expectations
Secondary
Psychological competencies and demands
Social intelligence
Effective social intelligence involves demonstrating and facilitating supportive, safe and inclusive interactions in the workplace, particularly during times of stress or high demand. Learn more about social intelligence.
Social intelligence encompasses the following psychosocial factors:
Primary
Psychological and social support
Secondary
Psychological competencies and demands
Problem solving and conflict management
Effective problem solving involves supporting and requiring respectful, solution-focused approaches to challenges. Effective conflict management is conducted in a timely, inclusive and safe manner. Learn more about problem solving and conflict management.
Problem solving and conflict management encompasses the following psychosocial factors:
Primary
Secondary
Psychological competencies and demands
Security and safety
Security and safety require proactive, prompt and supportive responses to all threats to psychological and physical safety in the workplace. Learn more about security and safety.
Security and safety encompasses the following psychosocial factors:
Primary
Fairness and integrity
Fairness and integrity are core components of psychologically safe leadership. Communication and decision making must take into account diversity of employee needs, yet be consistently unbiased and respectful. Learn more about fairness and integrity.
Fairness and integrity is an overarching construct that cuts across all domains, and encompasses the following psychosocial factors:
Primary
Clear leadership and expectations
Secondary
Psychological and social support