What is Workplace Psychological Health and Safety?
It’s an 11-syllable phrase that encapsulates the multiple elements of a healthy workplace culture. It may also be the missing cornerstone of your Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, or even your talent attraction and retention plans.
One of the most compelling aspects of Workplace Psychological Health & Safety (WPHS) is its inclusive accountability. Much like any occupational health and safety standard, WPHS is a shared responsibility among employers, supervisors, and employees. Everyone in the workplace has the right to psychological health and safety—and an obligation to understand and uphold it.
Why Does It Matter?
Workplace psychological health isn’t just a nice-to-have, employer-of-choice quality; it has quickly become a necessity. Consider these sobering statistics:
- 70% of Canadian professionals are concerned about workplace psychological health and safety, according to Canadian Occupational Safety Magazine.
- Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report shows:
Employee disengagement in Canada and the U.S. stands at a staggering 67%.
66% of employees report experiencing stress or anger as daily emotions.
49% of employees are “watching for or actively seeking a new job.”
In a climate of intensifying workloads, and widespread workplace wellbeing concerns, Canada faces a serious productivity crisis. TD Economics ranks it as one of the worst-performing advanced economies globally. It’s no secret: people can’t perform at their best if they’re struggling with workplace wellbeing, stress and/or conflict. Companies that ignore Workplace Psychological Health and Safety initiatives, do so at their own peril.
The Solution
The good news? Resources are abundant and help is available. A robust workplace psychological health strategy—rooted in clear policies and actionable practices—can:
- Boost Engagement: When employees feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to invest emotionally in their work.
- Enhance Retention: Creating a culture of psychological safety fosters loyalty and reduces turnover.
- Improve Productivity: Mentally healthy employees perform better, leading to stronger organizational outcomes.
Psychological Health and Safety competencies are a virtual baseline for inclusive behaviour and culture; this serves as an important foundation to support Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. Perhaps most importantly, an effective workplace psychological health and safety strategy can help nurture a sense of belonging, shared purpose, and even joy in the workplace. While work is an economic necessity for most of us, it should also be a source of camaraderie, fulfillment, and community.
Take Action
Accessing resources, support and collaboration is an important element of workforce development strategies. The Mental Health Commission of Canada helped launch the ‘National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace ‘ and their website is an excellent source of information on the topic.
If your company seeks to ‘move the needle’ on workplace culture and engagement, RealEyes Capacity Consultants has significant hands-on experience with this topic and can help with a co-created learning and implementation plan to get you there. Visit us at RealEyes-Capacity to learn more.
Sean McEwen; Director / Workplace Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Culture Consultant
