Safety Labs by Slice

Connecting Risk Management with Psychosocial Safety

Aug 14, 2023

Organizational psychologist and human factors specialist, Joelle Mitchell, discusses key topics such as psychosocial safety responsibilities, impact of organizational structures on workplace safety, managing trade-offs, incentivization issues, risk management controls, moral injuries, and the importance of humble inquiry. The podcast also covers improving safety culture in the offshore petroleum industry, challenges of incentive programs, governance for psychosocial health and safety, moral injury and organizational justice, the future of the health and safety profession, and advice for starting a safety career.

47:35

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Episode guests

Joelle Mitchell

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Quick takeaways

Soft skills, such as empathy and influence, are crucial for safety professionals to effectively manage safety and drive positive outcomes.

Moral injury, stemming from a sense of betrayal by employers, can lead to psychological harm and damage the employee-employer relationship; organizations must prioritize fair treatment and open communication to protect employee well-being.

Deep dives

The importance of soft skills in safety leadership

In this podcast episode, the host and guest discuss the significance of soft skills in safety leadership. They emphasize that beyond regulations and reportables, safety professionals need to focus on core skills such as empathy, influence, trust, and rapport. These soft skills are essential for effectively managing safety and driving positive outcomes. The guest shares her journey from risk management to psychosocial health and explains how the pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health in the offshore workforce. The conversation also touches on the role of organizational structures and reporting lines in influencing safety outcomes. Overall, this episode emphasizes the need for safety professionals to prioritize soft skills and adapt to the evolving landscape of safety management.

Introduction

2min

Improving Safety Culture in the Offshore Petroleum Industry

21min

Challenges of Incentive Programs and Safety Protocols

11min

Governance for Psychosocial Health and Safety

3min

Exploring Moral Injury and its Relationship to Organizational Justice

4min

The Future of the Health and Safety Profession

4min

Advice for Starting a Safety Career and Resources for Psychosocial Risk Management

3min

In this episode, Mary Conquest speaks with Joelle Mitchell, an organizational psychologist and human factors specialist, who translates academic research findings from psychology, OHS and human factors into actionable risk management insights.

Joelle tells the story of her journey to specializing in psychosocial health, and helps simplify psychological safety for EHS practitioners.

She explores key hot topics, such as who should be responsible for psychosocial safety, and explains how organizational structures can significantly impact Workplace Safety.

Joelle proposes a well-balanced and highly practical approach to psychosocial risk management that allows HSE and HR to work together in an evolving model.

This fascinating discussion covers many elements of modern Workplace Safety, including managing inevitable trade-offs, incentivization issues, the vitality of risk management controls, moral injuries and the importance of humble inquiry.

Find out more about Joelle’s current role and work as Global Head of Psychological Health and Safety at: Flourish DX

Where you can also find psychosocial health and safety webinars, podcasts, training and tools.

Papers/books recommended by Joelle:

On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hopig for B - by Stephen Kerr

Risk Management in a Dynamic Society - by Jens Rasmussen

Organising for Safety: How structure creates culture - by Andrew Hopkins

Connect with Joelle Mitchell on LinkedIn: Joelle Mitchell | LinkedIn

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