COVID-19 has arrived in Canada and we are in uncertain times.
To help leaders and their employees face the challenges ahead, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and HowattHR have launched this Psychological Safety Blog. It will be a trusted source for information, tools and resources to help leaders protect the health, safety and wellness of their people.
At this time, when individuals are being asked to practice social distancing, and organizations are implementing corporate isolation to limit the spread of COVID-19, these blog posts will focus on promoting mental health and preventing mental harms.
The goal of this series is to address perceived isolation barriers that if not addressed, can have a negative impact on employees' mental health and psychological safety.
We invite you to comment, share and ask questions, but remind you that discussions will be monitored.
We encourage you to check back often for updates and new resources.
Please be advised that this blog is not intended to provide information about COVID-19. For updates on the virus, we encourage you to visit the following sites:
By Dr. Bill Howatt and Andrew Harkness “At least one third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, who innovate and create but dislike self promotion, who favour working on their own over working in teams.”- Susan Cain, Quiet Did you…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Andrew Harkness Only 23% of Canadian workers would feel comfortable talking to their employer about a psychological health issue. [1] The average employee spends about seven working days per year stressed out about a work-related problem instead of coming forward with their concern. Often, it…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Ces chefs de file qui ont le pouvoir de faire naître l’espoir durant la crise de la COVID-19 The lens through which we see the world influences what we believe is possible. When we’re caught in a pattern of thinking that magnifies…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley Many engagement surveys ask employees to rank the degree to which they trust their leaders and organization, but most fail to ask whether they feel trusted by their manager and organization. Trust is an important metric for organizations, but it is equally important…
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Written by Fresh Communications in collaboration with WSPS The world has seemed a lot darker since COVID-19 took us all in its grip, but if there is a silver lining to be found in this crisis, it could be argued that the pandemic has helped to shine a spotlight on…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Les dirigeants peuvent apaiser les craintes liées à la santé mentale et encourager de saines stratégies d’adaptation Do your employees have more mental health concerns now than they did pre-COVID? And, how are they coping? The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Inquiétudes liées au retour en milieu de travail As employees return to the workplace after being laid off or forced to work at home because of COVID-19 restrictions, many are worried about protecting themselves and their families. In fact, research conducted by…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt Help employees stay socially connected in the workplace Before COVID, we were already starting to experience a global loneliness epidemic. Over the last few months, COVID-19 has shone an even brighter light on this important issue and the impact that isolation and loneliness can have on…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Épuisement professionnel: Ce que les dirigeants doivent savoir et ce qu’ils peuvent faire pour aider leurs employés Most leaders have heard of the term burnout, but not all understand its legitimacy. Unfortunately, burnout is often dismissed as regular workplace stress, or worse…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Les dirigeants peuvent aider leurs employés à réduire le risque de fatigue mentale For the past few months, many employees have been running on adrenaline. With all the change and disruption, it’s been a challenging time. Now, the movement towards slow re-opening…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley French version: Comment les employeurs peuvent soutenir les employés qui vivent des sentiments de deuil, de perte ou de regret Many leaders have created, or are in the process of building, mental health programs in their workplaces. Most are founded on accessibility, transparency and…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley Governments are beginning to loosen restrictions and some businesses are firing up their engines again. If you are leading one of these operations, you will be required to implement many new protocols to protect the physical and psychological safety of staff, both as…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley The Conference Board of Canada, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services have partnered to share mental health resources to support employees and leaders coping with the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. French version: Comment les employeurs peuvent soutenir…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley The Conference Board of Canada, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services have partnered to share mental health resources to support employees and leaders coping with the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. To help us determine what kinds…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley The Conference Board of Canada, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services have partnered to share mental health resources to support employees and leaders coping with the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. French version: Comment les employeurs peuvent soutenir…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley The Conference Board of Canada, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Workplace Safety & Prevention Services have partnered to share mental health resources to support employees and leaders coping with the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. French version: Impacts de la COVID-19…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley Canada’s health care system is facing unprecedented pressures. That means that the people operating within in it are at higher risk for operational stress injuries typically associated with repeated exposure to trauma. French version: L’usure de compassion If those of us watching the graphic…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley As leaders, most of the advice we seek today will be yesterday’s news by tomorrow. But we believe there are two pieces of advice on which you’ll be able to hang your hat throughout the entirety of COVID-19 - and beyond. Being kind…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley Nowhere is this business as usual. In this pandemic there is and will be a lot of uncertainty and fear. Employers and managers need to be empathetic, educated on COVID-19 and aware of the impact this pandemic may be having on employees who…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley Blog Question: How will I mentally prepare for self-isolation? Many may skip this question because when we think of self-isolating our minds automatically go to physical preparation. Survival basics of food, water and shelter have naturally been the focus as we’ve responded to…
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By Dr. Bill Howatt and Louise Bradley What is perceived isolation and how could this impact employees’ psychological safety? To answer this question, it is prudent to begin by exploring the factors that can predict an employee’s mental health. Physical health - exercise/movement, sleep, diet and lifestyle choices. Mental fitness…
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