MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS AND - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE: ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS AND RESOURCES ESDC OPEN HOUSE 2015

Andrew Harkness Strategy Advisor, Organizational Health Initiatives Workplace Safety and Prevention Services

Agenda

• Mental Health as a workplace concern
• Understanding the Organizational Factors
• Resources:

– Guarding Minds@Work – On the Agenda – Managing Mental Health Matters – Working Through It – Mental Health First Aid

• Gauging Organizational Readiness

One in Five

• One in 5 Canadians will experience a mental problem
• r illness in any given year.
• On any given week, at least 500,000 employed

Canadians are unable to work due to mental illness.”

• Every year mental illnesses costs the Canadian

economy an estimated $51 billion (at least) annually in absenteeism, disability claims, and medical services used.

One in Five

7-million

will experience a mental health issue

34-million

(people in Canada 2011)

A Standard is Born ‐ CSA‐Z1003

• Released in January, 2013
• More than 25,000

downloads to date

• Accessible for free for the

first five years from CSA and BNQ.

• First of its kind in the world

• Shared responsibility and active participation among

all workplace stakeholders

• Demonstrated and visible commitment from senior

management

• Integrate PHS into organizational decision making
• Focus on health, safety, awareness and promotion

The Standard – Guiding Principles

Thirteen Workplace Factors

Organizational Culture Psychological & Social Support Clear Leadership & Expectations Growth & Development Balance Psychological Protection Recognition & Reward Civility & Respect Protection of Physical Safety Involvement & Influence Workload Management Psychological Demands Engagement

1.Organizational Culture

• Is a mix of norms, values, beliefs,

meanings and expectations that group members hold in common and use as behavioural and problem‐solving cues

• A psychologically healthy and safe

work culture is characterized by trust, honesty, respect, civility and fairness

• Values psychological and social

support, recognition and reward

• 2. Psychological & Social Support
• Refers to the degree of social and emotional

integration and trust among co‐workers and supervisors

• Considers the level of help and assistance

provided by others when performing tasks

• Employees perceive their organization:

– Values their contributions – Is committed to ensuring their psychological well‐being – Provides meaningful supports if this well‐ being is compromised

3.Clear Leadership & Expectations

• There is support that helps employees know:

– What they need to do – How their work contributes to the organization

• Transformational leaders are:

– Change agents who motivate to do more than what is expected – Concerned with long‐term objectives – Transmit a sense of mission, vision and purpose – Have charisma and inspire workers – Give individualized consideration to their employees – Stimulate intellectual capabilities in others

4.Civility & Respect

• Workers are respectful and

considerate in their interactions with one another, as well as with customers, clients and the public

• Show esteem, care and

consideration for others, and acknowledge their dignity

5.Psychological Demands

• Psychological demands are documented

and assessed in conjunction with the physical demands of the job

• Organizations minimize risks associated

with identified job hazards through work redesign, analysis of work systems and risk assessment

• Assessments consider time stressors,

breaks, incentive systems, job monotony, repetitive nature of tasks, overtime hours and shiftwork

6.Growth & Development

• Workers receive encouragement

and support in the development

• f their interpersonal, emotional

and job skills

• Organizations provide internal and

external opportunities to build competencies that will:

• Help with current jobs
• Prepare workers for possible

future positions

7.Recognition & Reward

• Acknowledgement and

appreciation of employees’ efforts provided in a fair and timely manner

• Celebrate worker or team

accomplishments

• Recognition of good

performance, years served and/or milestones reached

8.Involvement & Influence

• Workers included in discussions

about how their work is done and how important decisions are made

• Opportunities for involvement may

include: – Worker’s specific job design or function – Team or department activities – Organizational issues

9.Workload Management

• A work environment where

assigned tasks and responsibilities can be accomplished successfully with the time available

• Biggest workplace stressor ‐ too

much to do and not enough time

• Not just amount of work but also

extent to which workers have the time, equipment and support to do their jobs well

• 10. Engagement
• A work environment where workers enjoy

and feel connected to their work

• Worker engagement can be physical,

emotional and/or cognitive

• Engaged workers:

‐ View work as a source of energy ‐ Exhibit a positive job outlook ‐ Devote more attention to work ‐ Can relate to and are committed to the

• verall success and mission of their
• rganization

11.Balance

• Balance in a work environment is

the acceptance of the need for harmony between the demands of personal life, family and work

• Everyone has multiple roles as

workers, parents, partners, etc.

• Complexity of roles allows

fulfillment of individual strengths and responsibilities

• Conflicting responsibilities can lead

to role conflict or overload

12.Psychological Protection

• Is present where worker psychological safety

is ensured and the organization actively promotes emotional well being as well as minimizing threats to worker mental health

• Workers feel able to:

– Ask questions – Seek feedback – Report mistakes and problems – Propose a new idea – Without fearing negative consequences to themselves, their job or their career

• 13. Protection of Physical Safety
• Is present when a worker’s psychological, as

well as physical safety, is protected from hazards and risks related to the worker’s physical work environment

• Organization cares about how the physical

work environmental impacts mental health

• Workers feel safe and get sufficient training

to perform safely

• Health and safety concerns are taken

seriously

• Organization assesses the psychological

demands of the job and the job environment to determine if it presents a hazard

A new set of tools to assist employers to ASSESS, ADDRESS and EVALUATE psychosocial risks.

Free Evidence‐ Based Accessible Universal

Resourced:

ASSESSMENT  Initial Scan Employer Audit  PSR‐13 Employee Survey ACTION  Risk Report Card  Action Responses  Action Planning Worksheet EVALUATION  Evaluation Planning Worksheet

Resourced:

Resource: (GM@W) FAQ

• What is it?
• Why was it developed?
• Cost of use? Implementation?
• Who can use it?
• Who developed it?
• What are Organizational

Risk/Psychological Factors?

• What are the factors based
• n?
• Is GM@W good for business?
• What are the time and

resources needed?

• What should we do?
• What are the resources?

Dashboard?

• Do I need to register to use the

resources?

• Do all employees need to sign in?
• How long do we have to survey?
• What about confidentiality?
• What happens to our company

information?

• Is there a French Version?

Options for employee survey

• Can gather and compare information across departments,

branches or sites

• Can gather and compare information from full time,

temporary and shift workers

• Can include information on presenteeism and impact on

productivity

• Can be customized with company logo or additional questions

(with consultation and programming cost)

Resourced:

• "first of its kind" program focused on helping

managers, supervisors and other leaders learn how to effectively recognize and manage mental health related issues in the workplace.

• Uses a story‐based approach, portraying realistic

episodes of workplace "characters" dealing with situations common to everyday worklife.

• The user engages in the process, rather than simply

being given information.

• Available through Workplace Strategies for Mental Health Website

Managing Mental Health Matters

Working Through It

Mental Health First Aid

• Recognize the signs and symptoms of

mental health problems

• Identify when a person may be a harm to

themselves or others

• Provide initial help
• Guide a person towards appropriate

professional help.

• Provide comfort to someone with a

mental health problem and support them in the recovery of their mental health

Why MHFA?

• Mental health problems are common
• Professional help is not always on hand
• Members of the public don’t know how to respond
• There is stigma associated with mental health

problems

• Not everyone with mental health problems seeks

treatment

• People may lack the insight to realize they need help
• r that help is available
• Many people are not well informed

Who Should Take MHFA?

• Managers
• Co‐workers
• Human Resources
• First Aiders
• Front line workers who deal with the public
• Safety people
• Employers

About the Course

• Evidence based
• Originally developed in Australia
• MHFA Canada – owned by the MHCC
• Formally evaluated and reviewed by Canadian experts
• First aid actions taught have been deemed important

and essential

• Rigorous instructor certification process
• Cannot deviate from the course
• 12 Hour program with a focus on adult mental health

What Do You Learn?

• Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health

problems

• Provide initial help
• Guide a person toward professional help
• Teaches 5 actions to provide MHFA
• DOES NOT teach people to be therapists

STIGMA

• Negative stereotypes and perceptions associated

with psychological/mental health conditions

– A complex social process involving many parts – Marginalizes and disenfranchises people – Primarily a problem of behaviours – Attitude influences behaviour

Workplace Attitudes

READINESS TO ADOPT PHS IN YOUR WORKPLACE

Awareness of the need for psychological health and safety

• 1. No Awareness

2. 3. 4.

• 5. Fully Aware

Desire to adopt and support PHS in your workplace

• 1. No Desire

2. 3. 4.

• 5. Very Strong

Knowledge about PHS in your workplace

• 1. None

2. 3. 4.

• 5. Expert

Ability to implement PHS in your workplace

• 1. Very Limited

2. 3. 4.

• 5. Skilled

Resources to sustain PHS in your workplace

• 1. Very Limited

2. 3. 4.

• 5. Lots

How Ready are You?

• Guarding Minds@Work (www.guardingmindsatwork.ca)
• Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Resources,

including: Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers (www.mentalhealthcommission.ca)

• Workplace Strategies for Mental Health

(www.workplacestrategiesformentalhealth.com)

• WSPS Healthy Workplace Resources

(http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/bundles/wsps/index.html)

Resources

• Standard will be offered at no cost for the first 5

years

• Standard available from BNQ and CSA:

BNQ (www.bnq.qc.ca) and CSA (www.csa.ca)

Get Your Copy of The Standard

Questions