Learn More About psychological health and safety

Psychosocial work environment factors that contribute to enhanced PH&S

Occupational health and safety best practices have recently evolved to include a stronger focus on psychological health and safety (PH&S). Psychological health and safety (PH&S) is reflected in the way people interact with one another daily. It’s also shaped by working conditions and management practices that influence the workplace environment.

Psychological health is made up of our ability to think, feel and behave in a way that allows us to perform effectively at work, at home, and in our communities. Psychological health challenges occur on a spectrum, from common psychological difficulties, such as fatigue, to serious mental health conditions.

Psychological safety, on the other hand, focuses on preventing harm to psychological well-being. Improving psychological safety in a work setting involves taking precautions to avoid or prevent injury or risk to a worker’s psychological health that is within an employer’s influence and responsibility.

Why is psychological health and safety important?

Psychological health and safety matters because it supports both people and organizational performance. By assessing and strengthening psychological health and safety employers can:

  • Protect its people. Psychosocial factors directly impact an employee’s well-being and overall workplace health.
  • Strengthen the organization. A healthy workplace makes good business sense. There are financial benefits for employers to reduce costs, improve productivity, and enhance the bottom line.
  • Reduce future risks. Expectation around psychological health and safety are evolving. New trends suggest that governments may introduce rules in the future that clearly define employers’ responsibilities in this area.

Does work cause psychological health problems?

Work can support positive psychological health, but can also contribute to psychological health problems in the following ways:

  • A supportive workplace makes a difference. Positive and psychologically healthy environments can help reduce the onset, severity, impact and duration of a mental health disorders.
  • Workplace factors may increase risk. They may contribute to the development of a mental disorder, worsen an existing condition, or interfere with effective treatment and recovery.
  • Workplace factors may contribute directly to psychological distress. This can include demoralization, depressed mood, anxiety or burnout. While distress may not meet the criteria for a diagnosed mental disorder, it can still cause harm to workers, reduce productivity, and create legal issues or organizational risk when workplace conditions are a contributing.

Organizations that identify psychosocial risks and work to create a psychologically healthy workplace see benefits in productivity, sustainability and growth.

It is important to note, with the exception for psychological trauma related to an extremely stressful event, such as being robbed or assaulted on the job, it may be difficult to conclusively link a person’s work situation to their mental health disorder.

The National Standard

The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ9700-803/2013(R2022)) (the Standard) is the first of its kind in the world. It is a set of voluntary guidelines, tools and resources to help organizations promote mental health and prevent psychological harm at work.

It advises organizations to assess and address the psychosocial factors, adapted from the framework developed in Guarding Minds at Work: A Workplace Guide to Psychological Health & Safety, known to impact workplace psychological health and safety and to reflect on an organization’s strengths and work toward improving risks.

What are the psychosocial factors?

They are factors that can impact the psychological health and safety of workers and are within an employer’s influence and responsibility.

The national standard outlines 13 psychosocial factors that contribute to workplace PH&S:

  • Organizational culture
  • Psychological and social support
  • Clear leadership and expectations
  • Civility respect
  • Psychological demands
  • Growth and development
  • Recognition and reward
  • Involvement and influence
  • Workload management
  • Engagement
  • Balance
  • Psychological protection
  • Protection of physical safety

The psychosocial factors are from CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013 – Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. For more information, see Guarding Minds at Work (Samra et al.).