Canadian HR Reporter

SUPPORT SYSTEM ...CONTINUED "Many organizations in the study took advantage of existing structures, such as health and safety committees and wellness committees, and then renamed them as psychological health and safety committees," said Merv Gilbert, with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction, Simon Fraser University, and lead researcher with the CSRP. "In almost every case, organizations already have some initiatives in place they can use as a foundation and build upon," said Bradley. Best practices in action While there was no one clear path to successfully implementing elements of the Standard, the businesses taking part in the CSRP did share some common ground. Most (66 per cent) orchestrated activities to raise awareness of psychological wellness in the workplace, including workshops, seminars and social activities. And the majority (70 per cent) made sure their employee assistance programs (EAPs) were designed to address and support any mental health issues their employees might need. Gilbert points out tailoring the types of activities and initiatives to suit the organization is another common element of successful implementation. "There can be a bit of a tendency for organizations to just take things off the shelves and try to implement them, whether or not they're a good fit," said Gilbert. "Ideally, they're basing their steps on what their actual needs and issues are, and that the programs or initiatives they adopt have some evaluations behind them, so they'll do the job they expect them to do." That means engaging in research to understand the risks, hazards, issues and strengths of a workplace. "We actually built a tool, called Guarding Minds @ Work [see sidebar], designed to help a workplace identify its employees' areas of concern, with respect to psychological health," said Gilbert. Committed leaders, employee champions Teed pointed out the importance of highly visible and influential support from within the workplace. "It's crucial for each organization to have someone charismatic and who genuinely cares about the issue to stand up and act in ways that show support," said Teed. "And not just one person; you need multiple people, including official leaders and unofficial leaders. That way, if there's ever a turnover with the leadership, you've still got the support and the torch can be passed on. "Ideally, you'll find people who are intrinsically motivated and who will build their own momentum. For them, being involved won't be seen as a chore, but will be something they value and see as crucial." Workplace must-haves for success Investing in workers' psychological wellbeing is just that: an investment. "Organizations need to make sure there are adequate resources," said Gilbert. "Those organizations that had the greatest success in implementing the Standard gave personnel – usually HR personnel – some budget, some authority and access to relevant information within the organization in order to do the job well. Implementing the Standard is an ongoing process, not something that happens quickly, and there are going to be somewhat different resource demands over time." Another must-have for success: Ensuring any initiatives are backed up by a solid communication plan. "What we found in some of the organizations in the study was that while the dedicated leaders and some of the other facilitators knew about the Standard, employees weren't necessarily aware of what the organization was doing," said Gilbert. "That really is critical to success. Employees need to be aware of – and feel trust in – any actions their employer takes." All the puzzle pieces put together still need a little "X-factor" to be successful. "I would look at engagement of the workplace in that process of change," said Dan Bilsker, with the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction, Simon Fraser University, and researcher with the CSRP. "If you don't get people in the workforce excited and hopeful that something really different could be done and trusting that the organization is going to have their backs and support them, then you don't really get engagement of the workforce in the change process. And that's really when change happens, with that specific and focused engagement." An investment over time "As HR professionals know well, culture change takes time and is an evolutionary process," said Gilbert. It's an investment of effort and time, but one that's becoming essential for employers hoping to build trust-based workplaces that attract and retain top talent. "Psychological health may be a popular topic at the moment, but it's not the 'flavour of the month,'" said Gilbert. "This is something that's increasingly embedded into our regulations, into our workplaces and into the expectations of the current and upcoming workforce." "Not so long ago, mental health was something you might not have talked about because you felt ashamed," said Bradley. "Now, to have it as part of everyday work, it not only helps employees and employers, but it has the potential to spread to the family and then to communities as a whole. I think it has the potential to be quite transformational."

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