CWHP-A Reflections: Unit WWC00

I wrote the Psychological Health and Safety (PHS) Plan for my workplace before taking this course. I wish that I had these resources earlier. Our area recently underwent a Workplace Assessment, and I have learned that communication and trust are key to gaining buy-in for any initiative, especially when building a workplace wellbeing team.

The importance of clear roles of the wellbeing team needed to be communicated to the staff.  Our workplace wellbeing team mandate includes our focus on wellbeing resources and liaison.  Unclear communication led to a misunderstanding of the roles of the team (ie. not mental health professionals) but as a team that can provide employees with connections to wellbeing providers/resources.   

Supporting all the training that is required is crucial and was a gap that I identified going through these modules. I would highly recommend the 13 Psychosocial factors training for both my area and the management team.  Assisting my management team with defining roles and responsibilities and effectively communicating them is vital.

Participating in deciding on the best communication method for all employees is also necessary to ensure everyone is aligned and informed.  The creation of the team and the language used around workplace wellbeing team caused confusion and distrust among staff. The language was unclear without context and clarifications on the roles of the team. Management support and buy in is also crucial in the success of the wellbeing team. If employees don't trust the management team, they will not support the efforts of the employee wellbeing team.