The Top 10 Ways to Create a Psychologically Safe Work Environment

From the reknowned Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health's statute booklet on "Victimization at Work."

1. A Work Environment Policy which declares the employer's general aims, intentions and attitude toward employees.

2. Procedures that ensure good psychological and social work environments.

3. Steps to prevent people from encountering a negative response at work, e.g., by creating norms which encourage a friendly and respectful climate at the workplace.

The employer and its representatives should set the example.

4. Managerial and supervisory personnel training and guidance concerning labor law, effect of different working conditions, interaction and conflict risks in groups, skills for rapid response to people in situations of stress and crisis.

5. Provide a good introduction to enable the employee to adjust to the working group, including a clear explanation of the rules applying to the workplace.

6. Give each employee the best possible knowledge of the activities and their objectives.

Regular information and workplace meetings help achieve this.

7. Give all employees information and a share in the measures agreed on for the prevention of victimization.

8. Try to ensure that duties have substance and meaning and that the capacity and knowledge of the individuals are utilized.

9. Offensive behavior or treatment can never be accepted no matter who is involved or who is the target.

10. The employer must set the example and never subject an employee to victimization, e.g., through abusive use of power or any other unacceptable behavior or response such as deliberate insults, hypercritical attitudes, ridicule, unfriendliness, or supervision of the employee without his/her knowledge and with harmful intent.

This piece was originally submitted by Susan Dunn, M.A., Creator of The Anti-Mobbing Workshop, Professional Coach, Speaker, Writer and Author, who can be reached at sdunn@susandunn.cc or visited on the web. Susan Dunn wants you to know: I offer antimobbing and preventive workshops, courses and on-site coaching, and I coach mobbing victims. Email me for FREE ezine. The original source is: Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health.