Workplace Safety North recently released a new “Mental Health Guide for Small Businesses,” designed to help small business owners manage workplace mental health.
Created by certified Psychological Health and Safety Advisors, trained by the Canadian Mental Health Association, this guide offers steps to recognize and manage factors that can affect mental health at the workplace.
“Investing in mental health isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s a smart business decision,” says Cindy Schiewek, WSN Health and Safety Services Director. “This free guide gives small business owners the tools to create a supportive workplace, leading to healthier, happier employees and a more productive, resilient team.
The first step is understanding the importance of psychological health and safety in the workplace. Mental health affects every employee, and it influences both their work performance and overall well-being. This guide provides business owners with a clear introduction to psychological health and safety, including key terms and concepts.
For example, the guide explains that mental health is something we all have, just like physical health. It fluctuates, with good days and bad days. Sometimes, stress at work – such as not feeling comfortable speaking up about a safety hazard or having an unmanageable workload – can lead to poor mental health.
By staying informed, business owners can better support their staff and help create a positive and healthy work environment.
Step 2: Manage psychosocial hazards
Psychosocial hazards refer to aspects of the work environment that can cause harm to employees’ mental well-being. This guide provides tools to help business owners recognize and address these hazards, such as bullying, high workloads, or lack of support.
The guide encourages using a systematic approach called the RACE Model:
Recognize: Identify any psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Assess: Determine how severe these hazards are and their potential impact.
Control: Implement measures to manage the hazards.
Evaluate: Check if these control measures are effective.
By following this approach, small business owners can reduce stress, improve productivity and workplace morale, and foster a healthier work environment.
Step 3: Create an action plan
The final step outlined in the guide is developing a clear action plan to improve mental health at work. This includes setting specific goals, monitoring progress, and ensuring continuous improvement. The guide provides templates and resources to help small businesses tailor a plan to their unique needs.
By putting an action plan in place, business owners can ensure they are proactively addressing mental health issues and creating a supportive work environment. The guide also includes helpful tools such as information sheets for safety talks and resources for employees to better understand their mental health.
Why this matters for small businesses
For small business owners, this guide is a valuable resource. It’s designed to be practical and easy to use, helping owners to focus on prevention and early intervention when it comes to addressing workplace factors that can affect mental health. Here are some key benefits:
Improved employee well-being: A mentally healthy workplace leads to happier, more engaged employees. This often results in increased productivity, less absenteeism, and higher retention rates.
Legal compliance: Employers must protect their workers from harm, including mental health hazards. By using this guide, small businesses can meet their legal obligations more effectively.
Cost savings: Addressing mental health issues early can reduce the need for long-term sick leave or dealing with costly workplace conflicts.
Positive workplace culture: Creating a psychologically safe workplace fosters trust, cooperation, and loyalty. Employees are more likely to stay with a company that values their mental health and well-being.
“WSN also has a variety of mental health awareness training and free resources, and we encourage businesses to take advantage of the excellent material available on the website,” says Schiewek. “If businesses need more information, they can contact their local WSN Health and Safety Specialist.”
