Psychological safety: More than a buzzword

Laurie Willett, Senior Management Consultant, 4PS Safety

Psychological Safety is much more than a new “buzzword term”. In fact, psychological safety now plays a huge role in workplaces and is of real relevance, particularly in the resources sector where employees are often separated from their loved ones. The effective management of psychological safety is both a moral and a legal requirement for any business today, regardless of size.

Foundational duty of care

Workplace safety has traditionally focused on the Risk Management Process and control hierarchy, around the mandatory duty of care obligations for key stakeholders which are referenced in applicable Acts, Regulations and Codes of Practice. For clarity, a duty of care is the legal obligation to adopt a reasonable standard of care when performing work activities that could foreseeably cause harm. The term ‘duty of care’ is one of the elements of the common law tort of negligence that’s been incorporated into statutory safety legislation. At its most basic level it means: • a safe place of work • safe systems of work • suitable plant and equipment • competent staff and adequate supervision.

The shape of today’s workplaces

Jump ahead to 2021 and Australians, particularly in the resources sector, now work more hours than most other developed OECD countries, performing much of this work in isolated and remote locations. The modern business landscape also continues to evolve, including both how and where work is effectively performed. While access to work information continues to expand as new technologies emerge, these advancements can also potentially distort our work-life balance. Workplace Diversity is also now a well-established hiring practice and yes, psychological injuries in the workplace are also on the rise.

Implementing ISO 45001

While the duty of care legislative requirements remain, ‘High Reliability’ organisational principles are also being adopted now, particularly in the resources sector, to further support the risk management process. ISO 45001 is the current recognised standard for safety management systems. It incorporates additional requirements for business owners and managers to have a clearer understanding of the organisation, its context and the expectations of workers and other interested parties to better manage safety within the workplace. So, while the control of physical hazards within the workplace must still be effectively managed, business owners and managers must now also identify psychological hazards, if present, and ensure appropriate controls have been implemented as a key component of the safety management system. Employers have a clear a duty of care obligation to protect both the physical and psychosocial health of all employees. Failing in this essential area means increased absenteeism, staff turnover, compensation claims, workplace conflict, bullying, resentment, and reduced product or service quality. This in turn leads to poor customer service, declining sales, litigation, and business reputational damage.

The rise of psychological injury

The rise in workplace psychological injuries can be caused by differing factors including bullying, harassment, intimidation, poor workplace design, toxic work culture and ineffective management strategies. Psychological injuries could potentially occur within the workplace. As an example, workplace diversity delivers improved problem-solving and innovation, but that same diversity can potentially work against a business if not managed effectively. Misunderstanding, conflict, bullying and resentment can flourish if we fail to effectively harness the powers of differing attitudes, skills, experience, values, behaviours, and the world views of our diverse and inclusive workforce. As teams, we must maintain courtesy and respect in all dealings and commit to being responsible for our actions. We must be fair, honest, and ethical in the way we deal with clients, suppliers, and each other. We must promote diverse and inclusive cultures designed to achieve the highest possible standards of etiquette in the way our team members interact. We must promote environments where team members express mutual respect, trust, and interest in everyone, as team members. Environments where it is safe to speak up if there is a problem within the team, and all opinions are equally valued. Environments where it is ultimately safe to take interpersonal risks. While that all sounds fantastic, exactly where do we begin?

Introducing ISO 45003

As ISO 45001 replaces the original AS/NZS 4801 and OHSAS 18001 standards for (OH&S) management systems, the world’s first international standard to address workplace psychosocial health has also been developed. It’s ISO 45003 Occupational Health and Safety Management – Psychological health and safety at work. This international standard provides guidance on the management of psychosocial risks in workplaces and the promotion of well-being at work, in conjunction with existing (OH&S) management systems based around the principles of ISO 45001. Focusing on PlanDo-Check-Act principles, ISO 45003 reinforces the importance of leadership commitment, effective governance, management styles, consultation, resources, and planning. It also identifies and manages psychosocial hazards that could be bubbling away just under the surface at any workplace if not effectively addressed. Psychological injury claims also present a unique dilemma for business because on average, they are more than twice the cost of physical injury claims, involving significantly more time out of the workplace. Psychosocial hazards have been increasingly identified as the next real challenge to health, safety and well-being at work in all workplaces, regardless of size. Our workplaces do have a significant impact on our psychological well-being and a psychologically-safe workplace is the only workplace where people will speak freely, share new ideas and collaborate on projects.

Enhancing retention levels

Staff attraction and retention can be one of the biggest issues faced by a business, particularly if there are skill shortages impacting on the sector. Workplaces with the highest staff retention levels are those that monitor employee engagement and workplace wellness levels. They also demonstrate: • genuine concern for the health, safety and wellbeing of all people within the business. • health and safety practices governed by dedicated policies, procedures and standards, consistently and fairly applied across the workplace. • an unwavering commitment to psychosocial risk management practice within every level of the business.

Remember, success is not only measured by the results that we achieve but also how those results were achieved. What kind of workplace culture would you choose? 