Promoting A Psychologically Safe & Healthy Workplace
As we embark on a new year, I have been reflecting on the common expression “have a happy and healthy new year”. Have you ever wondered what it means to have a healthy workplace at Bethany?
Did you know that on June 1, 2018 there were changes to Alberta’s Occupational Health & Safety Act and Code that now include expectations that require all workplaces to implement policies and procedures that help protect not just the physical safety of workers but their psychological and social well-being as well? As a result of these important changes, Bethany has updated all relevant policies and procedures in alignment with the new requirements and has created a new policy called Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace which addresses harassment, bullying and violence in the workplace. In particular, it provides guidance on what is and what is not harassment and bullying, and helps all Bethany employees understand their rights and responsibilities in supporting a psychologically safe and healthy workplace.
Safety is a core value for the organization and our Code of Conduct sets out Bethany’s expectations, built upon our mission, vision and values, and our unwavering commitment to the highest standard of ethics, care and service for residents, tenants and clients. The Code of Conduct states that every person who works at a Bethany workplace is entitled to be treated with respect and that every known instance of violence, harassment or bullying will be investigated and appropriately dealt with.
To support all Bethany employees, you will be asked to read the new policy on PolicyTech and complete a short quiz. Your leaders will also be meeting with you over the next month or so to ensure you understand how to: Recognize, Respond and Report harassment, bullying and violence in the workplace.
All of us are entitled to be treated with respect by everyone we interact with during our work day, and treating each other with care and respect are core values that we should model every day.
Look out for each other and do your part to promote a psychologically safe and healthy workplace for everyone.
If you have any questions or would simply like to share your ideas, please contact me directly at lisa.watson@bethanyseniors.com.
Kind regards,
— Lisa
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