By Virginie B. Locas BA (Hons), LL.B., CWPI, CWPM
In our previous article, we highlighted the importance of psychological health and safety as a central issue in today’s workplaces. This responsibility rests with several key organizational actors and is reflected in day-to-day practices.
Among these actors, managers occupy a pivotal position, as their role is both highly solicited and highly visible to employees.
In my practice, one question persists: do managers truly understand the impact of their decisions on the psychological health of the individuals who make up their teams?
Raising Awareness
When I conduct interventions in workplace conflict prevention and management involving managers or executives, they are often surprised, convinced that they have acted within the legitimate boundaries of their role.
And yet, from the employees’ perspective, those same actions can generate distress, confusion, or a sense of unfairness.
This gap highlights an important reality: leadership can no longer be evaluated solely based on intention, but rather on its impact on people.
Toward a Transformation of the Management Role
In a context where psychological health is now recognized as a key organizational driver, the manager’s role is evolving.
It is no longer solely about directing, structuring, or controlling, but about understanding human needs at work. Managers are also called upon to recognize the effects of their decisions on individuals and adjust their practices accordingly.
This evolution does not diminish managerial authority, it transforms it. Managers are increasingly encouraged to adopt a more conscious, nuanced, and above all, more accountable approach.
Psychosocial Factors as a Guide
As mentioned in our previous article, as well as in our webinar Creating Psychologically Safer Workplaces in Times of Change, managers can draw on the 13 psychosocial factors outlined in the Canadian standard to better understand workplace dynamics.
These reference points make it possible to reframe certain situations:
- Work overload becomes an issue of workload management
- Conflict becomes an issue of respect or communication
- Disengagement becomes an issue of recognition or meaning
In other words, they shift the analysis from individual behavior to the system in which it occurs.
Observing Oneself in Action
Exercising effective leadership in this context requires a demanding process. Managers must be willing to observe themselves in their interactions, adjust ingrained reflexes, accept feedback (even when uncomfortable), and refine their practices.
In doing so, managers learn to adapt based on the desired work environment, one that balances individual well-being and collective performance.
This approach requires courage. It involves recognizing that certain practices, long considered normal, no longer meet current expectations. It also invites managers to ask the right questions and, often, to engage in constructive dialogue to better understand what employees are experiencing at work.
Concrete Actions That Shift Dynamics
Without radically transforming structures, certain actions can have a significant impact, including:
- Creating spaces for authentic dialogue
- Clarifying expectations and priorities
- Recognizing contributions
- Adjusting workloads during high-pressure periods
- Intervening promptly when inappropriate behaviors arise
- Respecting boundaries between personal and professional life
These actions reflect genuine consideration for individuals, an essential quality in a healthy and safe work environment.
Conclusion: An Embodied Responsibility
While psychological health is a shared organizational responsibility, it takes shape daily through the concrete actions of managers.
Their role is no longer limited to achieving results. It also involves creating the conditions under which those results are achieved in a healthy and sustainable way.
This means recognizing that:
- Management practices directly influence psychological health
- Employees’ needs are legitimate and structurally significant
- Sustainable performance depends on a balance between expectations and support
Adopting this approach does not mean compromising rigor. It means exercising leadership with discernment and ultimately choosing a model that aligns performance, respect, and humanity.
And What About Employees?
While managers play a key role, they are not the only actors influencing psychological health and safety at work.
Employees themselves contribute, through their behaviors, interactions, and willingness to speak up, to shaping the climate in which they operate.
In a future article, we will explore this essential, and often underestimated, role that employees play in creating healthier, more respectful, and more balanced workplaces.
