Mental Health Matters: Creating a Psychologically Safe Workplace
Create a psychologically safe workplace: foster open communication, embrace vulnerability, celebrate diversity, build trust, and offer support. It boosts creativity, collaboration, and satisfaction.
Wellness.
This is a word that, working in people operations, we hear a lot.
But, what is it and why is it important and how can we “do” wellness … well?
It’s actually not particularly difficult, but it does require focus, consistency and, frankly, learning to live with the awkward feeling of “is this all just a bit woo woo snowflake stuff?”
Because it isn’t woo woo snowflake stuff. Well, mostly not.
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Why It's Important (or Why Your Workplace Shouldn't Feel Like a Episode of Survivor)
Let's face it, creating a psychologically safe workplace is one of the more important activities us in people ops can engage in. Why, you ask? Well, imagine a workplace where people are more afraid of speaking up than they are of tolerating a bad workplace.
It’s not a particularly pretty picture.
Get this wrong, and you risk a workplace with more tension than is healthy, people talking and sniping behind each others backs and group of disengaged staff that just do the minimum to get by. We're talking increased stress, decreased productivity, and a turnover rate that would make you wince. Not to mention lack of innovation and engagement. All this will eventually lead to your customer satisfaction dipping as your staff are focussed on surviving and not thriving.
But get it right? Oh boy, you're in for a treat. You'll see creativity flowing like wine at an Italian wedding, collaboration smoother than a freshly waxed bowling lane, and employee satisfaction higher than a record breaking pole-vault.
The Big Picture: What You Need to Do (No Crystal Ball Required)
Creating a psychologically safe workplace isn't about installing a giant bubble wrap room for stress relief (although, that does sound amazing and I did work at a company that had a huge ball-pool in one room (Aside: I don’t recommend this, when they cleaned it out, they found chicken bones and broken glass at the bottom of the pool!). It's about fostering an environment where people feel safe to be themselves, speak their minds, and make mistakes without fear of being voted off the island.
Here's the broad strokes:
Open Communication: Encourage dialogue at all levels. Check my other post on it here:
Embrace Vulnerability: Show that it's okay to not be okay. Leaders, this means you too!
Celebrate Diversity: Of thought, background, and lunch choices (yes, even Karen's tuna surprise).
Foster Trust: Build it stronger than your desire for a three-day weekend.
Provide Support: Offer mental health resources like they're going out of style (spoiler: they're not).
Actionable Tips (Because We're Doers, Not Dreamers)
That’s the broad strokes, but what can you do in practice? Here are some actionable tips:
Start with Leaders: Train your leaders to be more emotionally intelligent. They set the tone, after all. Value EQ as much as IQ.
Create Safe Spaces: Designate areas or times for open discussions. Think of it as a confessional booth, but with less guilt and more growth.
Implement a No-Blame Culture: Mistakes happen. Treat them like unexpected plot twists in your favourite TV show - learn from them and move on. Focus on the how and why, not the who of an issue.
Regular Check-ins: Have managers regularly check in on their team's mental wellbeing. It's like a weather report for emotions. If you have a regular, standing meeting with people (or other’s have them) suggest a 5-min ‘how ya doin?’ check-in at the beginning of each. It’ll feel awkward and weird at first, but you’ll get used to it and you’ll have a better meeting if you know Bob is feeling low because his snake recently died.
Flexible Working: Offer flexibility. Some people work best at 3 am in their Spider-Man pyjamas, and that's okay.
Mental Health Days: Introduce mental health days. They're like sick days, but for your brain. Because let's face it, sometimes your mind needs a duvet day too. I’ve worked with several clients who use these and they can be extremely valuable. People can just wake up, feel physically fine, but mentally wrung-out, so they can take a day without having to tell anyone the details - just that they’re looking after their mental health. This is often harder for older generations, who see this as snowflake-stuff, but have your leaders set an example so everyone knows it’s OK.
Encourage Boundary Setting: Teach employees to set boundaries. Or set them yourself. No more emails at midnight, Roger!
Conclusion: The Future is Safe (Psychologically Speaking)
Creating a psychologically safe workplace isn't just a nice-to-have, it's as essential as coffee on a Monday every morning. It's about creating an environment where people can bring their whole selves to work, without leaving parts of their personality in the car park along with that gym bag they've been meaning to use.
Remember, a psychologically safe workplace doesn't mean a challenge-free one. It's not about wrapping everyone in cotton wool (unless that's your company's product, in which case, carry on). It's about creating a space where challenges are met with enthusiasm rather than fear, where diverse ideas are celebrated rather than silenced, and where mistakes are seen as stepping stones for growth rather than a long slide to performance management.
So, let's create workplaces that are safe, supportive, and more inclusive than a group hug at a teletubby convention. Because when it comes to mental health in the workplace, we're all in this together.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to suggest installing that bubble wrap stress-relief room. Wish me luck!
From the community
Some interesting links from the #people Slack community
John Pezoulas sez: “Hi everyone, my firm Ready Set Exec is hosting our next job seeker event on August 20th at 2pm EST, with free resume reviews with an expert resume writer! limited spots register now.” Link.
Sarasvathi Nadar sez: “This guide is not just a book; it's a blueprint for future HR leaders eager to make a mark.” Link.
Oli sez: “Instead of another trip down the local pub, get some ideas for a fun and fulfilling experience outside the office this summer with our guide to 15 unique team volunteering ideas.” Link.
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Great post. I appreciate the actionable tips and agree that “Creating a psychologically safe workplace isn't just a nice-to-have, it's as essential as coffee every morning.”