Mental Health Job Aid for Managers: Psychosocial Factor 12 – Psychological Protection
Psychological Protection is present in a workplace where employees feel able to be themselves without fearing negative consequences. Psychologically healthy and safe workplaces promote psychological well-being and strive to prevent harm to psychological health.
Psychological Protection: Where to Start?
Take Action!
Show your employees that you care by regularly dedicating time and scheduling one-on-one meetings to discuss and address difficult workplace situations in a safe and confidential manner.
Contact your Occupational Health and Safety Advisor and/or your Labour Relations Advisor to provide training on prevention of harassment and violence, bullying, discrimination, and conflict management.
Update your employees on current information about existing policies, such as the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada – Policy on Harassment and Prevention Resolution, as well as your organization's policy on prevention of violence in the workplace, and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector or your organization's values and ethics code.
Provide a safe space and/or "safe area" where employees are not exposed to psychological safety hazards and for employees to participate in the remediation of psychological safety concerns by communicating the importance of mental health and how to recognize psychological health and safety hazards during team meetings.
For mentally or physically burdensome tasks, ensure your staff are provided with adequate rest/breaks.
Additional Resources
To assess each psychosocial factor, you may use the Organizational Review Worksheet and Survey Tool provided by Guarding Minds at Work.
Developed in collaboration with the Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace.
