Guarding Minds at Work
Guarding Minds is an evidenced based survey tool that will be used by the UCalgary Nursing Mental Health & Wellness team to assess the psychological health and safety of faculty, staff and students.
An evidence-based tool that guides our work
Guarding Minds at Work resources allow employers to effectively assess and address the 13 psychosocial factors known to have a powerful impact on organizational health, the health of individual employees, and the financial bottom line.
Guarding Minds at Work was developed by researchers from the Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA) within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University on the basis of extensive research, including data analysis of a national sample and reviews of national and international best practices, as well as existing and emerging Canadian case law and legislation.
*Psychological health and safety is embedded in the way people interact with one another on a daily basis and is part of the way working conditions and management practices are structured and the way decisions are made and communicated (CSA group, 2013)
Key definitions
Psychological health comprises
“Our ability to think, feel and behave in a manner that enables us to perform effectively in our work [and school] environments, our personal lives, and in society at large.”
Psychological safety
“It deals with the risk of injury to psychological well-being that an [individual] might experience.”
(Definitions referenced from Guarding Minds at Work)
13 Psychosocial Factors
Knowing the psychosocial factors is a great first step in fostering a mentally healthy workplace. As defined by Guarding Minds @ Work, “Psychosocial factors are elements that impact employees’ psychological response to work and work conditions, potentially causing psychological health problems.”