Safeguard wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety

This standard is about safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety within your area of responsibility. You assess factors that affect people’s experiences at work, evaluate and mitigate risks and maintain working conditions where colleagues feel respected, safe and able to contribute. You apply organisational policies, legal and ethical requirements, respond promptly to concerns and provide practical support and adjustments. You monitor the working environment, promote sustainable working practices and review outcomes to strengthen how wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety are safeguarded. 

This standard applies to managers and leaders at all levels across all sectors.

1. Assess factors that influence wellbeing, inclusion, psychological safety and safe working conditions within your area of responsibility to identify risks and opportunities for improvement. 
2. Evaluate risks and barriers that may affect colleagues’ wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety and take proportionate action to reduce or remove them. 
3. Maintain working conditions where colleagues feel respected, valued and able to contribute to support a positive and psychologically safe environment. 
4. Communicate expectations for respectful and inclusive behaviour to support clarity, consistency and psychological safety. 
5. Apply organisational policies, legal requirements and ethical principles when safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety to ensure safe and compliant practice. 
6. Respond promptly to concerns about wellbeing, inclusion or psychological safety in line with organisational procedures to prevent escalation and maintain trust. 
7. Provide practical support, adjustments and access to resources or services that enable colleagues to feel safe, included and able to participate fully. 
8. Monitor the working environment, working patterns and behaviours to identify changes that may affect wellbeing, inclusion or psychological safety and respond appropriately. 
9. Promote sustainable workloads and healthy working practices to support wellbeing, prevent avoidable harm and maintain effective performance. 
10. Challenge discrimination, exclusion and unacceptable behaviour in a fair, timely and proportionate way, in line with organisational procedures, to maintain standards and protect colleagues. 
11. Record and report concerns in line with organisational policies and legal requirements to support accountability, accuracy and continuity. 
12. Support colleagues to understand their responsibilities in safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety to promote shared ownership. 
13. Provide information, guidance and resources that help colleagues maintain their own wellbeing and contribute to an inclusive, psychologically safe environment. 
14. Collaborate with relevant teams or specialists to address complex wellbeing, inclusion or psychological safety issues to ensure safe and informed action. 
15. Evaluate the effectiveness of actions taken and identify opportunities to strengthen how wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety are safeguarded.

1. The purpose of safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion, psychological safety and safe working conditions at work. 
2. Factors that influence wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety. 
3. How to evaluate risks and barriers that may affect colleagues’ wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety. 
4. Organisational policies, legal requirements and ethical principles relevant to wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety. 
5. How to communicate expectations for respectful and inclusive behaviour. 
6. How to respond to concerns in ways that support psychological safety and comply with organisational procedures. 
7. How to provide practical support, adjustments and access to wellbeing resources. 
8. Methods for monitoring working conditions, behaviours and working patterns. 
9. Principles of sustainable workloads and healthy working practices. 
10. How to challenge discrimination, exclusion and unacceptable behaviour in line with organisational procedures. 
11. Requirements for accurate and appropriate recording and reporting. 
12. How to support colleagues to understand their responsibilities in safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety. 
13. How wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety influence team performance and organisational culture. 
14. How to evaluate and improve approaches to safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety. 
15. Relevant theories and models that inform wellbeing, inclusion, psychological safety and organisational culture.

The following values underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

1. Respect - treating colleagues with dignity and valuing their experiences.
2. Inclusion - ensuring everyone feels welcome, heard and able to participate.
3. Integrity - acting consistently with organisational values and ethical practice.
4. Compassion - recognising and responding to the needs and wellbeing of others.
5. Responsibility - taking ownership of the environment you create and influence.
6. Courage - addressing behaviours or situations that undermine safety or inclusion.

The following behaviours underpin this standard. They are integrated throughout the performance criteria and knowledge and understanding requirements and inform how individuals approach their work, make decisions and interact with others.

• Act with integrity, applying policies, legal requirements and ethical principles consistently.
• Be inclusive, recognising and reducing barriers to participation.
• Act with vigilance, monitoring risks and changes in the working environment.
• Act with respect, promoting conditions where colleagues feel valued and able to contribute.
• Take accountability for safeguarding wellbeing, inclusion and psychological safety.
• Role-model healthy working practices, promoting balance and sustainability.
• Practise self-care, maintaining habits that support balanced and effective leadership.