PHWP: Good Company

Dr. Matt Grawitch and I recently commented on a blog entry about the criteria for APA's Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards and because these issues are raised from time to time, we thought it would be of some value to post the response here, as well. Our communications don't always discuss these aspects of the model and evaluation process, so I hope this will help to shed some light on what goes on behind the scenes of our program. Thanks to David Yamada and his Minding the Workplace blog for raising these important issues and giving us the opportunity to respond. Creating a work environment that is good for employees and the bottom line indeed requires openness to multidisciplinary perspectives and constructive dialogue is always welcome. 

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As the head of APA’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program and the program’s primary research consultant, we were surprised to see a recent blog posting that appeared on Minding the Workplace about the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Criteria. The author astutely pointed out that practices in these five areas do not necessarily result in a psychologically healthy workplace, and he was most assuredly correct.

However, the author of the blog posting overlooked several key points about both the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Model and APA’s award criteria that deserve further clarification.

First, a psychologically healthy workplace is one that fosters employee health and well-being, while at the same time enhancing organizational performance. Although this is typically done through the implementation of a comprehensive set of programs and policies, the mere presence of these workplace practices does not guarantee the that organization will meet the goal of optimizing employee and organizational outcomes.

Second, the psychologically healthy workplace model emphasizes the role of effective upward and downward communication mechanisms in organizations. This is essential to ensure that programs and policies meet the needs of the employees they are designed to benefit (through upward channels) and are effectively utilized and supported throughout the organization (downward channels). Clearly, employees will not respond “as expected” to programs and policies that are not supported, that are not well communicated, and that do not meet their needs.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, the model emphasizes the need for a culture, structure, and context that supports the programs and practices in place. Hence, one size does not fit all. The Psychologically Healthy Workplace Model requires custom-tailoring of programs and policies to address these variables and meet the unique needs of an organization and its workforce.

These three points were not mentioned in the blog posting on Minding the Workplace, but they help to address the key “questions” that the author poses. These were also discussed in more detail in an article that focused specifically on APA’s program.

With regard to the selection of our award winners, the assessment process does not rely solely on company documents and “checklists.” During the application process, organizations complete two written forms reporting on and describing their workplace practices. Applicants are also required to identify specific organizational and employee outcomes that have occurred as a result of their workplace programs and report numerous employee and organizational benefits, usually with concrete, quantifiable data.

After the applicant completes the quantitative and qualitative instruments, a team of psychologists visits the organization, tours the facilities, observes the work environment and meets with employees (management and line staff). Employees also complete an anonymous employee questionnaire. These site visits and employee surveys collect information about the way employees feel about the organization, their physical and psychological well-being, and their perspectives on the different programs and policies in place.

After a rigorous data analysis and a comprehensive evaluation of the qualitative responses, we select our finalists. Finalists complete a disclosure form that asks them to report any recent or pending employment-related lawsuits or complaints and are subject to extensive reviews conducted by our legal and regulatory affairs and public relations staff.

So, while the points made by the Minding the Workplace blog are well taken, a closer inspection of the Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program reveals that those points are actively addressed by APA in its model, as well as through its systematic evaluation and selection process.