A Healthy workplace as one in which leaders and employees "collaborate to use a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, safety and well-being of employees and the sustainability of the workplace.” World Health Organization, 2010.
How does the “Healthy Workplace” support the Principal’s Learning Organization priority?
For individuals, teams and institutions to fully engage in continuous learning and healthy risk taking, “Health” is foundational.
A healthy state ensures safety, respect and trust. It encourages openness and connectivity, agility, and a willingness to truly engage.
Our Healthy Workplace initiative invites us to make health and well-being a fundamental part of our everyday work lives together, as we move toward becoming a learning organization:
- Be active: get involved
- Be mindful: find meaning and nurture balance
- Keep on learning: stay curious and raise questions
- Connect: help knowledge, ideas and innovation flow
- Give: your knowledge, experience and unique talents
Research from organizations such as Google (Project Aristotle) suggests that the number 1 characteristic of an outstanding work team is the presence of Psychological Safety. According to author Amy Edmonson, this means,
“A team climate where it is safe to take interpersonal risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. A sense of confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up”. This level of inclusivity, safety and healthy risk taking is at the foundation of a Healthy Workplace and key to McGill’s learning organization journey.
What’s in it for employees?
An overall enhanced work life, including:
- Prime opportunities to have their voices heard by the Senior leadership and to co-create McGill initiatives that engage employees most.
- Learning more from each other and sharing best practices – within and across units through “Learning in Community Activities”: learning/coaching circles, learning communities, and locally supported initiatives focused on continuous learning and the Healthy Workplace.
- Improved teamwork through increased psychological safety, alignment, training, tools and opportunities
- Recognition for collaborating and trying new things, learning and innovating together.
- Greater sense of belonging and chances to make a difference: Healthy Workplace Learning Communities, plans and initiatives
- Improved health – physical and psychological health and safety, including greater awareness of opportunities available.