In today’s work landscape, prioritizing the mental well-being of your team and fostering an open, inclusive environment isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must for success. Here’s how to make it happen.
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on NHS Employers
Prioritising the psychological well-being of staff and establishing an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable asking questions and working without apprehension of backlash is of paramount importance. This approach nurtures a sense of camaraderie among colleagues, resulting in heightened employee engagement, an improved organisational culture, enhanced well-being, and mental health.
Practices that cultivate such a culture experience heightened productivity, refined policies and processes, and overall success, as employees feel empowered to voice their thoughts and insights. This factor is integral to the deliberate retention of staff and was underscored in the NHS Resolution – Being fair 2 report as a pivotal element in upholding the workforce.
Key Recommendations for Cultivating a Psychologically Safe Environment
Establish an Open and Trusting Atmosphere
Forge an environment of transparency and trust through meaningful interactions such as one-on-one discussions, casual conversations, sessions, and open forums for sharing ideas and viewpoints. Foster open communication by inquiring about colleagues’ sentiments, promoting the exchange of both positive and negative experiences. This can be facilitated in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid setting.
Embrace the Significance of Language
Ensure that everyone feels valued by fostering a culture where expressions of apology, gratitude, and requests for assistance are openly practiced by everyone, including leaders. Initiate conversations with colleagues respectfully, regardless of the context, to achieve optimal outcomes for all parties involved.
Tailor Actions to Your Practice
Take into account your practice’s unique requirements, steering clear of one-size-fits-all solutions. Understand the intricacies of your organisational culture and identify any specific barriers faced by your staff. This personalised approach extends to individual interactions as well, recognising that creating a psychologically safe environment stems from acknowledging individual differences.
Adopt a Growth Mindset
View mistakes as opportunities for learning, fostering an environment where they can be openly discussed and shared. Practice managers should exemplify this by openly acknowledging their errors to their teams. Integral to this is allowing colleagues time to integrate key takeaways and incorporate them into their future endeavours.
Demonstrate Compassionate and Inclusive Leadership
Listen attentively to your colleagues, exhibit empathy and compassion towards their circumstances, and consistently offer assistance and support whenever possible. By embodying an open attitude and a growth mindset yourself, you pave the way for your employees to adopt similar behaviour.
Address Bullying and Workplace Harassment through Education
Set clear expectations for respectful behaviour, encouraging training on how to recognise and address bullying, harassment, and microaggressions in the workplace. Utilise resources and guidance to foster a positive culture and a supportive atmosphere for tackling bullying in healthcare.
Embrace Accountability
Whether you witness micro-aggressions, experience verbal abuse, or encounter situations that seem amiss, it’s essential to voice your concerns and challenge such behaviour, raising awareness to drive transformation and foster a safe environment. The NHS enforces a Freedom to Speak Up policy, supporting this endeavour.
You can also engage with Project S, a campaign aimed at enhancing working conditions in the NHS, focusing on discrimination, workplace safety, and particularly the well-being of women in healthcare.
Foster Allyship
Robust employee network groups often offer secure spaces for diverse colleagues to find their voices and collaborate to effect change. Allyship should centre on ensuring others’ comfort while considering power dynamics within the practice. Acknowledge that perspectives may differ for diverse or junior colleagues.
Utilise the ABC Model Ask
Asking: What does it feel like? What does it sound like?
Benchmarking: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? What would it look like?
Considering: The elements of difference and power in an organisation. This could be reflected in job levels or diversity characteristics.
Implement Policy
Establish dedicated workplace support for reporting bullying, harassment, and whistleblowing. If creating an action plan, consider its impact and collaborate with colleagues to ensure comprehensive engagement and diverse input. Regularly review this plan, as it should be a dynamic document rather than a mere formality.
Consistently Prioritise These Efforts
Remember that culture extends beyond policy, values, and branding. It’s woven into everyday interactions across all levels of the workspace, from senior leadership to support staff, and mirrored in how medical professionals interact with each other and their patients.
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