Meet Henry the Fish
Henry is a healthy fish. Henry uses they/them pronouns. They support others, manage stress, and notice when someone needs help. As an individual, Henry is doing everything right.
But something’s still wrong.
The water’s murky.
The filter keeps clogging.
The temperature keeps changing.
The Story Behind the Analogy
What This Means for Your JOHSC
As a JOHSC member, you help more than just individual workers. You help make the whole workplace better. JOHSCs look for hazards, including things like heavy workloads or poor communication. They suggest simple ways to fix these problems. By improving work conditions, your committee helps “clean the tank” and make the workplace safer and healthier for everyone.
Employers also play a big role. They set the tone for a healthy workplace by creating systems that support workers. When employers and JOHSCs work together, they remove hazards, provide resources, and make psychological health and safety part of daily operations.
Why This Matters
Henry is like a health care worker. They’ve taken resilience training, manage stress, and support their team. Henry has done everything right. But training alone can’t fix workplace problems. The workplace or fish tank itself needs to be healthy.
Individual Level
- Resilience training
- Support through EFAP or critical incident debriefings
- Programs like Mental Health First Aid or The Working Mind
- Peer support programs
This supports everyone in meeting their legal responsibilities and benefits all workers.
Workplace and Organizational Level
- Building a healthy workplace culture and systems
- Reducing or removing the stressors (psychosocial hazards) that could cause harm
- Putting psychological health and safety into daily practice
- Preventing psychosocial hazards at the source
Employers and JOHSCs work together to keep the tank healthy so everyone can thrive. This is how JOHSCs help build PHS at work.
Both levels matter. Together to help workers.
As a JOHSC member, your main role is to focus on the workplace conditions that affect everyone.
Definitions at a Glance
Psychological Health and Safety (PHS)
Psychosocial
Psychosocial Factors
Psychosocial Hazard