Organizational culture icon Security and safety

Involves supporting a safe environment through proactive, prompt and effective responses to any threats to psychological, physical or professional safety.

“Safety brings first aid to the uninjured.” – F.S. Hughes

Overview

What is security and safety?

Security and safety involves supporting a safe environment through proactive, prompt and effective responses to any threats to psychological, physical or professional safety.

Why is security and safety important?

There are many benefits to having people leaders effectively trained in security and safety:

  • The risk of critical incidents is reduced or even eliminated.
  • Stress-related absences, illnesses and injuries are prevented.
  • There is enhanced loyalty from workers and retention rates are increased.
  • Trust in leadership is increased.

FAQs

  • Show respect for the fact that everyone has multiple roles in life (e.g. as workers, parents, partners, colleagues, students). If/as appropriate, ask workers how you can best support their other personal roles and commitments.
  • Offer flexibility to workers’ hours and work arrangements, as is necessary and reasonable.
  • Encourage leadership focus on productivity and output, rather than just hours.
  • Regularly review workloads and priorities during one-to-ones with workers.

  • Engage workers in discussions about the types of potential crises that could occur in your workplace. Help them learn how to understand and plan for their own emotional responses.
  • Prepare, distribute and discuss response plans for critical situations.
  • Create a list of crisis response phone numbers (e.g. distress hotlines, substance use supports, poison control). Distress hotline numbers should be posted in workplace washrooms or other private spaces available to workers to allow for easy access during times of crisis.
  • Conduct detailed facility tours that show all potential entry and exit points, the location of fire extinguishers and basic medical supplies. Ensure that workers know how to operate equipment.

  • Create and provide zero-tolerance bullying and harassment policies to all workers with a focus on preventing and responding to behaviours that are offensive or potentially harmful to others.
  • Encourage workers to intervene in situations where bullying and/or harassment is present, if they feel it is appropriate and the situation does not pose any personal danger.
  • Positive conflict resolution should focus on the solution rather than the problem, to avoid blaming and shaming those involved.
  • Appoint a contact person for informal inquiries, concerns or complaints to deal with incidents before they escalate, and ensure workers know who to speak to in the event they are being harassed or bullied.

Action

Next steps: Committing to enhancing security and safety as a leader

We invite you to complete the Psychologically Safe Leader Assessment (PSLA) to learn more about your current leadership skills with respect to security and safety. By completing this confidential self-assessment, you can identify key areas in which you can improve your psychologically safe leadership skills.

  • Actively listening and following up when workers are distressed or in crisis.
  • Fostering a culture where workplace issues, challenges and problems can be openly raised and discussed.
  • Providing psychoeducation to all workers on signs and symptoms of mental health issues (including anxiety, depression, substance use and burnout).
  • Proactively addressing and responding to bullying and harassment concerns and behaviours.
  • Responding to traumatic incidents in a timely fashion, to help reduce the potential negative effect on mental health.
  • Taking thoughtful action and preventive measures to develop the best possible responses to serious incidents and occurrences when they occur, to reduce stress for all involved.
  • Taking proactive steps to reduce the impact of burnout on workers and workplaces by recognizing workplace factors that contribute to burnout, and being aware of worker signs and symptoms.
  • When incidents arise, proactively developing an effective workplace plan by leaders and workers to support employee success.
  • Enhancing personal resilience and skills to manage one’s own emotions to better deal with stressed out, angry or emotional workers.
Security and safety infographic

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The National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace – CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803/2013. Retrieved from: https://www.csagroup.org/article/cancsa-z1003-13-bnq-9700-803-2013-r2018/. See also Psychologically Safe Leader (Samra et al.): Retrieved from https://www.psychologicallysafeleader.com/.