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Creating a ‘Psychologically Safe Workplace’

Throughout February we have been exploring ‘Psychologically Safe Management’. In this post we are offering further tips on how to create a ‘Psychologically Safe Workplace’ and position the wellbeing of staff at the heart of the organisation. We will share with you a further ten simple tips on how to support the wellbeing of staff during this pandemic.

We live busy lives and the pandemic has forced some of us to slow down. Although it is important to note that key workers, medical services and those working on the frontline are working harder than ever. For those of us working from home we have the challenge of separating work life to home life, and possibly juggling many responsibilities. Covid is a traumatic incident, it brings uncertainty and longevity, and therefore will increase our stress levels. When we feel activated into our stress response our concentration and memory go offline, and we can become either more withdrawn, or sensitive and irritated by those around us. We all need to find pause moments throughout the day. These moments are a time to reflect, take a deep breath and stop.

In a psychologically safe working environment, we need to create space for reflection and learning to take place.

Ten simple tips on how to support the wellbeing of staff during this pandemic.

  1. Reduce the time of meetings – many organisations are booking one hour or 30-minute meetings in the diary but reducing the length of time people have to be present in the meeting. Therefore, even though the diary is blocked out for a one-hour meeting, the meeting lasts for 45 minutes. This allows a 15-minute space to stretch, walk, reflect, get a drink, and just pause for a moment. It also prevents meetings being booked back-to-back.
  2. Increase flexible working options – some of the organisations FD Consultants are supporting have informed staff that they can manage their working hours within a twelve-hour period, for example, choosing which eight hours to work between 7am and 7pm. This acknowledges that everyone has a different work rhythm, some may be more productive in the mornings, and others in the evenings. It also allows for a longer break in the middle of the day if people want to make the most of daylight hours or take the opportunity to get active. Know which members of your staff may prefer to work from home, and those that would prefer to return to the office. This is useful information to keep in mind for future flexible working options.
  3. Create wellbeing meetings – make sure that there is a combination of ‘task orientated’ meetings and ‘wellbeing’ meetings. A ‘wellbeing’ meeting can include sharing resources and ideas to keep individuals resilient during this challenging time (RESPECT Resilience Model – Dunkley, 2018). Share ideas on how you have setup your workstations and items you might have in your direct view that make you feel happy or confident. Additionally, you could share ideas of how to make a divide between work life and home life, including symbolic rituals.
  4. Move your body – research suggest if you move your body every hour, even just for a few minutes, you can improve your productivity up to 30%. Make sure you move after each hour, perhaps between work meetings or specific tasks. Maybe set an alarm to remind you.
  5. Listen to your body – our bodies hold a wealth of information. Our body will inform us when we are hungry, tired, or in pain. Unfortunately, our mind often over-rules the body by telling it to ‘keep going’. This can lead us to maintain bad posture for long periods of time, resulting in increased aches, pain and tension. Listen to the body and act on what it is informing you that it needs.
  6. Increase praise, lower expectation – neuroscientists state we have a negative brain bias. When we are stressed these negative thoughts make a lot of noise in our heads, ‘I am a failure’, ‘I am not coping’, ‘I am weak, ‘I am stupid’. Due to this, managers need to increase praise, validation and acknowledgement to staff during this pandemic. Additionally, we need to lower expectation of oneself and others. If we are working to 60% capacity during this pandemic, we are doing well.
  7. Wellness Action Plans – we are creating ‘Wellness Action Plans’ for several of the organisation we are currently supporting. These plans help support managers in having crucial conversations with staff about wellbeing. Many managers do not feel confident having these conversations with staff, therefore these plans guide managers in how best to have these conversations in a constructive and helpful manner.
  8. Ensure staff switch off when taking leave – watch out for staff that might be sending emails whilst on leave. Ensure you also role-model not sending emails when you take leave. Even if you are someone who works unsociable hours and you inform staff not to read your emails until their own working hours, we know people will look if they are aware the email is there. This is the psychology all social media platforms use to entice people to stay connected.
  9. Psychological signposting – know your policies and procedures in the workplace on wellbeing and duty of care. Be aware of what psychological services are available for staff so you can signpost them if necessary. For example, an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Additionally, use these services yourself, as managers we also need to be supported and it is helpful to experience the service you are recommending to your staff.
  10. Challenge stigma in the workplace – watch out for erosive and toxic terminology in the workplace. For example, if a member of staff informs their manager, they are struggling at work and they receive the following response, ‘welcome to my world’. This is often normalised in organisations but is dismissive and unhelpful. Further toxic messages might include words like, ‘troublemakers’, ‘scapegoating’, and other blaming language.

Please contact FD Consultants for any management or staff training needs, or individual support sessions. We can offer our trademark ‘Stress Management & Resilience Building’, ‘Trauma & Vicarious Trauma Awareness’ or ‘Peer Support’ programmes. Additionally, we can offer any other training specifically tailored for your organisation. You can contact us at [email protected]

If you are interested in learning more about this topic you can listen to FD Consultants webinar on ‘Psychologically Safe Management’ please click here

For organisations looking for employee psychological support, FD Consultants are the trauma specialists and well-being service who will best deliver a reliable, quick, and bespoke support system in the workplace. FD Consultants team of accredited specialists will offer ongoing support to help manage stress, prevent burnout and provide specialist trauma care where required, enabling your staff with the tools to cope, and recover more quickly. 

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FD Consultants is here to help any organisation looking to offer their staff with effective, empathetic, and collaborative psychological support. We are a source of hope and strength when it feels like you haven’t got any left. Reach out to our team of specialists today to discuss the situation you or your workplace is facing, and let us find a proven, evidence-based solution to navigate you through this challenging period.

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