Psychological health and safety is a process of continual improvement. Trying to do too much all at once can create stress and put pressure on employees. Instead, consider implementing smaller changes over time. The best approach may be to focus on one initiative at a time and to build on success. After you incorporate these initiatives, or when they’re no longer necessary, add more.
Choose your evidence-based action. Then, use the Creating change worksheet | PDF to refine your plan.
Step 1: Assess potential actions
Weigh risks and benefits to help identify potential challenges and opportunities before you commit. Review each of the following points against your proposed action. Then write your response on the Creating change worksheet you already started.
Appropriateness
Appropriateness is the degree to which the action’s relevant to your work situation and good for your organization.
This would be an action compatible with your work demands and setting. Record on your Creating change worksheet reasons you feel the action is appropriate.
Acceptability
Acceptability is the degree to which the employer, union if applicable, and employees would agree to implement the action. Actions should be:
- Beneficial for all
- Easy to explain to decision makers
- Easy to communicate to employees
- Straightforward to implement
Decision makers and employees may reject actions that are overly complicated, increase workload or interfere with the ability to meet objectives. In unionized environments, the action should align with the collective agreement. Record on the Creating change worksheet | PDF why this action will be acceptable to all workplace stakeholders.
Accessibility
Accessibility is the degree to which everyone can participate, regardless of ability or location.
There are many considerations in terms of who can access the action. They include location, method of delivery and timing. Language, literacy level and format also can slow or hinder access.
It’s important to include and support employees with differing abilities. Record on the Creating change worksheet | PDF how everyone can access and benefit from this action.
Efficiency
Efficiency is the degree to which we have the resources to implement and sustain the action.
Do a cost-benefit analysis on the action. Estimate these costs:
- Material
- Delivery expenses like transportation, venue or refreshments
- Time and expenses for developers, facilitators, participants and evaluators to participate
Weigh the expenses against the value this action may achieve for each participant. Here’s an example:
- The total cost is $5,000.
- 50 or more employees will become more aware of protecting their own mental health.
- The potential cost-benefit is decreased absenteeism and improved productivity for $100 per employee.
Record on the Creating change worksheet | PDF why this is an efficient action.
Effectiveness
Effectiveness is the degree to which the action will have a positive measurable impact and lead to the intended outcomes.
It’s critical to ensure anyone can see a link between the selected action and the intended outcomes. This evidence can come from:
- Established workplace practices
- Evidence-based resources
- Academic literature
Record on the Creating change worksheet | PDF the evidence showing why the action will be effective and how you’ll measure success.
Measurements of success could include the following approaches and metrics:
- Participation – measure the number of people who take part in your action.
- Behaviour changes – track the number of times participants do things differently. Give specific direction in advance. What behaviour change are you looking for? How do participants or their leaders report this action?
- Absenteeism – track the number of days off in the months before and after implementing the action. Look for changes in trends. Ensure you can maintain confidentiality while tracking absence.
- Complaints, conflicts or grievances – track the number reported in the months before and after the action.
- Awareness – survey employees to determine their level of awareness about your action and the intended outcomes.
- Participant perception – ask specific questions about their experience with the action.
- Supervisor perception – survey supervisors about changes resulting from this action.
- Focus groups – bring together participants to discuss how the action impacted them and their suggestions for improvement.
- Stress satisfaction scan – administer this 6-question survey before and after the action to measure changes in how employees feel about work.
Safety
Safety is the degree to which all potential risks to both physical and psychological safety are eliminated or managed.
Unintended consequences can happen at an individual or organizational level. For example, discussing mental illness may trigger or stigmatize employees. Come up with potential risks to physical and psychological safety. Anticipating the possibilities reduces the likelihood of them happening. On the Creating change worksheet, record the risks you identified and how to prevent or mitigate them.
Once you add your ideas to the Creating change worksheet | PDF, you may need to get approval.
Step 2: Choose actions that meet your criteria
Prioritize the actions that meet the criteria you chose in step 1. Identify which actions your team will take first and how you’ll measure success.
Step 3: Choose the action-planning team
Assign people to the various responsibilities found in the Committing to our success form | PDF.
Step 4: Implement the action(s)
Be sure to use the methods of measurement to assess the effectiveness of your action.
Step 5: Evaluate the outcomes
Analyze your measures of success to report on the extent to which the action(s) reached the intended outcomes.
Step 6: Use a continual improvement approach
Your evaluation can contribute to a process of continual improvement. Take what you learn from the action and consider how you can do it better, or whether your current course of action is getting the results you want.
Share this with those responsible for actions and initiatives to address psychological health and safety at work.