Mentally Healthier Workplaces How to use the new psychologically safe workplace standards to benefit your bottom line

Is what we say what we do?

Outline Define the problem Cost it out Creation of the voluntary Psychologically Safe Work Place Standards Where should a company start Resources * Many slides adapted from : 2013 CSA group Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace Mental Health Works 2013 Mental Health Commission of Canada – An Action Guide for Employers 2012

Workplace mental health Issues Depression Anxiety Burnout PTSD Compassion fatigue

Psychologically unsafe = MENTAL INJURY Conduct that often leads to mental injury Harassment Bullying Mobbing Discrimination

Conduct that MAY Lead to Mental Injury 1.Expecting too much of workers with no heed to the consequences. 2. Withholding discretion over work where no business rationale exists. 3. Refusing to acknowledge contributions or to assign credit. 4. Demonstrating bias in distribution of work or rewards.

Continued… 5. Chronic failure to provide timely and relevant information. 6. Not allowing sufficient participation in decisions. 7. Not providing psychological support or material resources to get the job done (when such exist). 8. Not paying attention to the legitimate interests of workers. 9. Failing to identify and correct abusive situations. 10. Failing to accommodate the needs of those with a mental illness.

The cost of MH issues in the workplace 30% of short and long-term disability claims In 2010, MH conditions were responsible for 47% of all approved disability claims in the federal civil service $6 Billion in lost productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeims New legal responsibilities around psychological safety i.e. liable for claims if a worker is harassed or bullied or even chronically overworked.

The personal health impacts * Adapted from CSA Group 2013

Cost to business and our economy 82% of businesses that responded to a national survey ranked mental illness in their top 3 reasons for short term disability (72% for long term) Direct employer costs are estimated at $2.97 billion $11 billion cost to Canada All for preventable workplace mental health injury

Business costs 1.Productivity 2.Recruitment and retention 3.Costs due to disability, absenteeism and preenteeism 4.Conflict resolution 5.Operational success LEGAL COSTS: For the first time in Canadian history, employers are under pressure of an emerging legal duty to create and maintain not only a physically safe workplace, but also a psychologically safe work environment. –The Shain Reports on Psychological Safety in the Workplace, April 2010

Implications of the Law Three key responsibilities that underlie the putative duty to ensure a psychologically safe workplace: 1. Keep demands within the known capacity of employees (don’t push in the dark). 2. Enable basic “voice” (make it safe to speak up). 3. Monitor and respond to signs of conflict/distress (be vigilant for warning signs and act on them).

A psychologically healthy workplace is one where every reasonable effort is made to promote the mental health of workers. Psychologically Safety Healthy

CAN/CSA Z – THE standards Key drivers of the Standard: Risk Management Cost Effectiveness Recruitment and Retention Organizational Excellence and Sustainability This is a governance issue to be addressed by the highest level of authority/accountability within the organization

P6 framework – Quality Improvement model (international Standards organization POLICYPLANNINGPROMOTION PREVENTION PROCESSPRESISTENCE

It’s about culture!!!! Shift the culture so it is part of your organization's DNA

A psychologically safe culture One in which there is… Zero tolerance for mentally injurious conduct; Strong support for respectfulness and fairness; and High level of agreement on the meaning of these terms.

1. Leadership commitment and policy [Govern and Manage] 2. Planning [Assess] 3. Implementation [Address] 4. Evaluation [Evaluate] 5. Review and corrective action [Correct and Improve] The Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS) – the Heart of the Standard Training and Awareness of Mental Health Issues is the KEY as both a mechanism for recognizing, responding, supporting and erasing stigma.

Some cultural basics for the psychologically safe workplace Foster basic understandings and reduce stigma Mental wellbeing is gained and lost every day through our normal interactions and relationships at work. We can influence this “exchange” for the better Not all mental illness is brought to work: sometimes it is created or precipitated there. Mentally ill people are not “the other”, they are us. Mental injury and mental illness are not always the same thing.

Phone: | Website: FREE RESOURCES

Phone: | Website: Workshops / Consultants

Phone: | Website: CMHA York Region – Mental Health Promotion Living Life to the Full

Workplace Teams Demonstrate Support