Federal Public Service Workplace Psychological Health and Safety

Federal Public Service Workplace Psychological Health and Safety Union of National Defense Employees February 23 rd 2019 Denis St-Jean Public Service Alliance of Canada Co-chair, Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace

Membership Mandate � Over the years, we were asked to focus on various issues: �Strengthening Joint OHS Committees �Prevention Programs �Violence in the workplace (harassment – bullying) �Ergonomics �Psychosocial Hazards (Excessive Stress, Overwork, Shiftwork, Burnout, etc. ) �Mental Health 2

Psychological H&S in the workplace � February 2003 - Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology (Senator Michael Kirby) undertakes the firstever national study of mental health, mental illness and addiction � November 2005 - Standing Senate Committee proposal to create the Mental Health Commission of Canada 3

Psychological H&S in the workplace � May 2010 - Tracking the Perfect Legal Storm - Converging systems create mounting pressure to create the psychologically safe workplace (An update to Stress, Mental Injury and the Law in Canada by Dr. Martin Shain) � There is an emerging legal duty in Canada to provide and maintain a psychologically safe workplace 4

Psychological H&S in the workplace � September 30, 2010: A group of executives, labour leaders, OHS professionals, government agencies and experts in law and policy came together to look at the implications of Dr. Shain’s paper entitled "Tracking the Perfect Legal Storm“ ◦The group was tasked with considering what employers need to know to provide a psychologically safe workplace in today’s economic environment 5

Psychological H&S in the workplace �January • • • 2011 - MHCC was awarded funding for the development of the proposed National Standard from: Labour Programs (Enforcement of Canada Labour Code) Health Canada Public Health Agency of Canada Bell Canada, and Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace. 6

Psychological H&S in the workplace �January 2011 - The Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) and CSA Standards initiated a project to establish a Technical Committee on Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace �Standard was released January 16, 2013 7

Creating and Sustaining a Psychologically Safe Workplace = Goal #1 of the Standard A psychologically safe workplace is: • One that allows no significant harm or injury to employee mental health in negligent, reckless or intentional ways • One in which every reasonable effort is made to protect the mental health of employees [due diligence] 8

Psychologically Safe Workplaces and Psychologically Healthy Workplaces ……putting the horse before the cart…… • A “psychologically safe” workplace is one where every reasonable effort is made to protect the mental health of workers. • A “psychologically healthy” workplace is one where every reasonable effort is made to promote the mental health of workers. [= goal #2 of the Standard] Safety first! 9

7 Influences on the Duty to Provide a Psychologically Safe Workplace: “Toward the Perfect Legal Storm” Labour Relations Law Employment Standards Legislation Employment contract Human Rights Legislation Duty to Provide a Psychologically Safe Workplace Occupational Health and Safety Legislation Law of Torts (negligence) Workers Compensation Law 10

Psychosocial factors in the standard 1. Psychological support 3. Clear leadership & expectations 2. Organizational culture 4. Civility & respect 5. Psychological competencies and requirements 7. Recognition and reward 9. Workload management 12. Psychological protection 6. Growth & development 8. Involvement and influence 10. Engagement 11. Balance 13. Protection of physical safety 14. Chronic stressors identified by workers 11

UNION INVOLVEMENT AND IMPACTS ON THE STANDARD • Worked on best practices and not on a multilayered compliance plan (regular vs elite) • Incorporated full participation of workers and their representatives from the start of the process • Involvement of health and safety committees in implementing the requirements (where they exist by law) • We focused on organisational factors rather than personal worker behaviours (life style changes) 12

UNION INVOLVEMENT AND IMPACTS ON THE STANDARD • Protect the right of confidentiality of workers (data collection and data analysis) • Included the hierarchy of control measures in assessing risks • Included critical events preparedness (organisational and individual) • Included diversity statement (consider the unique needs of diverse populations and groups within the workplace) 13

Mental Health and the Workplace Mental health is a growing issue in Canadian workplaces, affecting 1 in every 4 Canadians. Mental health has an impact on ◦ individuals (e. g. , distress, lack of engagement), ◦ employers (e. g. , losses in productivity) and ◦ the economy (e. g. , increased expenditures). Recent survey results highlight important challenges across the federal public service. ◦ 2014 & 2017 APEX Reports and Surveys ◦ 2014 & 2017 Public Service Employee Survey Results 14

Mental Health in the Workplace Canadian Workplace 20% Encounter workplace stigma in Canadian labour market Canadians will experience mental illness 33 -50% 71% Public Service Executives report a higher stress level than 75% of Canadian adults Respondents faced harassment during the past 2 years, of which 63% reported harassment from an individual in authority Short and long-term disability claims in Canada are related to mental health diagnoses 75% Executives report symptoms of burnout (e. g. emotional exhaustion, cynicism) 19% Respondents would recommend their department or agency as a good place to work 25% 63% 15

Situational Context: Setting the Stage …to address mental health in the workplace… The Government of Canada and the Public Service Alliance of Canada established a Joint Task Force to address mental health in the workplace. The Clerk of the Privy Council placed mental health at the top of the management agenda, and convened an advisory group with internal and external stakeholders to discuss mental health. Building from their work, in June 2016, the Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy was released. … to build a healthy, respectful, and supportive work environment that strengthens the public service 3

Situational Context: Joint Task Force First report SEPTEMBER 2015 RECOMMENDATIONS ON LEADERSHIP, ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND WORKPLACE PRACTICES, COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION, AND MEASUREMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Second report APRIL 2016 ENTERPRISE-WIDE AND ORGANIZATION-SPECIFIC KEY FINDINGS AND ACTIONS Third report JANUARY 2018 STEP-BY-STEP ROADMAP THAT WILL IDENTIFY AND ASSESS WORKPLACE HAZARDS THAT CAN AFFECT THE HELP ORGANIZATIONS PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY OF EMPLOYEES

Federal Public Service Workplace Mental Health Strategy …focuses on three strategic goals Changing the culture To be respectful to the mental health of all colleagues and to create an environment free from stigma Measuring and Reporting to frequently take the pulse of our workplace and workforce, and make necessary adjustments Building Capacity with tools, training and resources for employees at all levels …guiding organizations as they develop and implement their action plans on mental health 4

Strategy: Changing the Culture …to be respectful to the mental health of all colleagues… Shift from out-put focused to people-focused environment Authentic leadership and engagement towards mental health and wellness Sustained efforts to reduce stigma Raise awareness to educate employees Prevent psychological harm by identifying and assess workplace hazards Create healthy workplaces with trust, inclusivity, innovation, openness Engage networks and communities of practice and promote employee participation Communication at all levels …and to create an environment that is free from stigma 4

Strategy: Collaborating to Build Capacity …with tools and resources for employees at all levels Repository of leading practices GCpedia Canada. ca/ workplacewellness Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace Mental Health and Wellness Champions’ Committee Guide to Implementing a Psychological Health and Safety Management System Informal Conflict Management System People Management Policy Suite Specialized training for managers and employees Bargaining Agents Involvement Employee Wellness Support 2 Program 0

Strategy: Measuring and Reporting …to frequently take the pulse of our workplace and our workforce… A number of workplace factors are correlated with a psychologically healthy workplace. Reduce harassment and discrimination Diversity Respect Awareness of mental health Psychologically healthy workplace Support for work-life balance Positive relationship with one’s supervisor Support for innovation …and make necessary adjustments 6

Mental Health in the Federal Public Service: The Strategy 22

#GCMental. Health Map: Our Universe

Roles & Responsibilities for Centre of Expertise Provide roadmap for alignment with the National Standard Convene communities of practice and networks Offer a best practice repository Identify factors and gaps that may affect the psychological health and safety of the workforce Engage and educate via Federal Speakers’ Bureau Have regional and national presence Influence and connect other mental health related activities enterprise wide Provide expert advice, support and guidance

Our Reach in Numbers 70+ Mental Health and Wellness Champions Deputy Ministers Mental Health Pledge 128, 155 + web page views 100+ 2, 000+ Twitter followers More than 2, 000+ GCconnex members 20, 000 public servants reached through Federal Speakers Bureau Testimonials

Prioritizing Future Efforts Strengthen the Best Practice Repository Establish strong regional presence Build capacity and influence Measurement and Reporting Provide expert support and guidance Launch OPI Network Reinforce collaboration with unions and management Expand Federal Speakers Bureau 26

canada. ca/workplace-wellness To align, support and integrate with the broader work in the area of diversity, inclusion and wellness.

Connect with us Visit Canada. ca/workplace-wellness to find resources, tools and services for organizations, managers and employees on any device. Visit GCintranet Mental Health in the Workplace for additional resources, tools and services, only available to public servants. Join the Co. E Mental Health on GCconnex to participate in discussions, share information, and leverage the power of networking. Visit the GCpedia page to find multimedia tools and resources that can be tailored to your own organization’s realities, challenges and environment. @CEMHW_CESMMT Follow us @CEMHW_CESMMT for the latest news, events, developments, and activities relating to mental health and psychological health and safety in the workplace. Questions or comments to mhstrategy@tbs-sct. gc. ca 28

MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE What should be happening concretely in my department? 29

Building Success – A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service How do we get started? (CHAPTER 1) Establish a Joint Sub-Committee on Mental Health (JSCMH) Jointly identify 1 or more champions Jointly determine the project sponsor Jointly develop the JSCMH’s terms of reference Jointly develop an initial communication strategy 7

Building Success – A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service Start by knowing your workplace… (CHAPTER 2) + Train staff Evaluate the workplace Evaluate supports Assess data Train staff to undertake the psychological workplace hazard analysis Jointly conduct an evaluation of the organization’s workplace psychological hazards Jointly assess data to identify problem areas, and develop recommendations for the next steps Jointly identify and evaluate programs, policies and workplace practices that may affect psychological health and safety 8

Building Success – A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service …continue with an implementation strategy… (CHAPTER 3) Create a training plan Build a change management plan Develop a communication plan Establish a resourcing plan Prepare for critical events Build an evaluation plan Develop work plans 9

Building Success – A Guide to Establishing and Maintaining a Psychological Health and Safety Management System in the Federal Public Service …and regularly assess progress… (CHAPTER 4) INVESTIGATE AND REPORT INCIDENTS This chapter focuses on: • Lessons learned by early adopters of the National MONITOR PERFORMANCE Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace; and • Tips for successful implementation. CONDUCT A JOINT MANAGEMENT REVIEW PRIORITIES INTEGRATION …to continually improve activities. 10

Where can you find the standard? CSA’s website: www. csa. ca/z 1003 BNQ’s website www. bnq. qc. ca 34