FAQs
- Enhanced organizational effectiveness and continual improvement.
- Improved worker recruitment and retention.
- Organizational excellence.
- Sustainability of human capital.
- Improved worker engagement and morale.
- Improved creativity and innovation.
- Reduced workplace conflict and grievances.
- Reduction in worker turnover and absenteeism.
- Reduction in disability and injury rates.
What are the benefits of a Psychological Health and Safety Management System (PHSMS) ?
Is this about employee mental illness?
No. Adopting a PHSMS isn’t about assessing a worker’s mental health. It is about considering the impact of workplace processes, policies, and interactions on the psychological health and safety of all employees. For employees who have a mental illness such as depression or anxiety, there may be other things for Horizon Health Network to consider, like the duty to accommodate described in human rights legislation. Although a PHSMS can be helpful for employees with mental illness, a PHSMS is primarily intended to be preventive for the entire workforce in the same way occupational health and safety systems are preventive for physical injuries and illnesses for the entire workforce.
Is Horizon Health Network is solely responsible for the psychological health of all workers?
No. Many factors, including those outside of an employer’s control, can affect psychological health. These include factors not related to the workplace such as:
• genetics
• personal issues
• family concerns
• financial challenges
Generally, people are responsible for their own health and well-being, whether in or out of the workplace. However, as an organization we should do no harm to our employees’ health.
We need to identify potential hazards to the psychological health and safety of workers and try to eliminate them. If it is not possible to eliminate them, we need to reduce the risks for employees.
Will a PHSMS create extra stress and pressure for managers?
Some managers may worry PHSMS is aimed at finding the faults or shortcomings of individual managers. That is not the goal of a PHSMS. Managing employees can be challenging, especially in times of emotional distress or conflict. A PHSMS helps to address these types of challenges.
Management style is only one of several factors that may influence psychological health and safety in the workplace. Anyone who is interested in improving personal and organizational effectiveness can benefit significantly from the implementation of a PHSMS.
Could this approach violate worker confidentiality and privacy?
The PHSMS is not intended to focus on any individual worker. Instead, its goal is to consider organizational approaches, strategies, policies, procedures, and interactions that might affect the psychological health or safety of any worker. Every organization is unique, and the approach to establishing, documenting, and maintaining a PHSMS should respect the needs and resources of each organization.