TORONTO (August 1, 2021) — Employers and business leaders looking for help to combat the growing mental health crisis among Canadians have a new resource to help identify and solve issues on their teams.
The inaugural Psychologically Safe Workplace Awards (PsychologicallySafeWorkplace.com) are a national, evidence-based annual program from Talent Canada and Howatt HR that measures the employee experience with respect to workplace mental health.
The timing for the awards is perfect, according to Todd Humber, group publisher at Annex Business Media, who leads Talent Canada, a national media brand for C-suite and HR professionals that helps make the business case for investing in people.
“Workplace mental health was a significant concern before COVID-19, and the last 16 months have only exacerbated the situation,” says Humber. “What was an area of growing concern has become a full-blown crisis for many Canadians, and there is a significant opportunity for business leaders and employers to be a big part of the solution.”
“This award provides a benchmark for continuous improvement for organizations with respect to improving the employees experience,” says Dr. Bill Howatt, founder of Howatt HR and one of Canada’s leading experts on workplace mental health. “Participation in this award send a strong message on the organization’s commitment to their employees’ mental health that can assist with attracting and retaining top talent – in the year of “the great resignation”.
Independent and Credible
The Psychologically Safe Workplace Awards — also known as the PSWAs — are an independent, evidence-based and credible awards program. Ranking in one of the top 3 categories (Bronze, Silver and Gold) is an extraordinary achievement that can be a true differentiator for your organization. One that organizations can build on, year over year.
Actionable Data
Participating organizations receive a dashboard with high-level aggregate results and a benchmark report with useful insights.
It’s all powered by Howatt HR’s Mental Fitness Index (MFI). Employees who complete the MFI get a private, custom report on their own well-being.
“It’s a powerful tool that can identify problem areas and provide real actionable advice, both to individual employees and organizations as a whole,” says Humber.
Celebrate and Learn
The deadline to qualify for the 2022 PSWAs is Sept. 30, 2021.
On Oct. 28, 2021, winners will be announced and recognized during a special virtual event that also features a conference component. Winners will be able to proudly display the PSWA badge confirming their commitment to promoting mental health and reducing mental harm within their workplace.
“We want to do more than just hand out hardware and celebrate winners,” says Humber. “These aren’t vanity awards. We will be sharing in-depth profiles of practices that are making a real difference at real organizations across the country.”
For more information, including a two-minute explainer video, visit www.PsychologicallySafeWorkplace.com.
About Talent Canada
Established in 2019, Talent Canada is a national media brand that makes the business case for investing in people. With a team of award-winning journalists, it is dedicated to bringing news, information, practical advice and best practices to employers across the country. It has an audience of more than 40,000 professionals in C-suite and HR roles across Canada.
Talent Canada is published by Annex Business Media, Canada’s largest B2B media company. For more information visit www.TalentCanada.ca.
About Howatt HR
Howatt HR Consulting is a growing Halifax-based company. We believe in fostering an agile work environment in order to bridge the gap between academic research and applied solutions for organizations across Canada. Areas of focus include:
- Mental Fitness
- Employee Experience
- Behavioural Science
- Strategic HR
- Employee Productivity
- Respect in the Workplace
- Psychological Health and Safety Systems
- Predictive Modelling
- Cannabis in the Workplace
- Loneliness in the Workplace
For more information contact:
