Translating Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) into real-world practice: Two PSC intervention case studies

Abstract Objectives: Translating research into practice is often a goal for evidence-based organisational researchers to help improve workplace conditions and worker wellbeing. Improving worker wellbeing can be achieved by using empirical evidence to inform organisational interventions. However, despite the well-established intervention literature, practitioners appear not to appreciate fully how research findings can inform real-world practice. Using our understanding about workplace safety and health issues, we proposed that employers themselves could undertake interventions that focus on building Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC), an essential organisational climate that protects and promotes the psychological wellbeing of workers. Methods: Here we present two case studies to illustrate strategies that improve psychosocial safety and to increase our understanding about how interventions help improve PSC over time. Case Study 1 was conducted in an Australia public organisation and Case Study 2 was in an international private organisation. We collected survey data using the PSC-12 scale, to assess the level of PSC of the organisation before and after the intervention, and details of the intervention and other initiatives for promoting employees’ psychological health. Results: Our evaluation supported the proposition that interventions that combine organisational and individual level (and the interface between the two) approaches with a focus on the core elements of PSC (such as commitment, priority, communication, and participation) improve an organisation’s PSC over time. Conclusion: Not only does the research elucidate important practical implications for organisations trialing new psychosocial safety initiatives, but our study makes an important contribution to theory in work stress intervention on best practice and principles to build a psychologically healthy work context.