Best Practices to Integrate Safety and Wellbeing - WTT Connected Community Recap
How can organizations move beyond checklists and compliance to create workplaces where people feel
truly safe, both physically and psychologically?
At our Q3 WTT Connected event, participants shared strategies and lessons learned for weaving safety into well-being initiatives.
The discussion underscored a central theme: safety and well-being are deeply connected, and integration is key to building trust, reducing stress, and supporting performance (NIOSH, 2021).
Physical Safety: Foundations of Trust
Physical safety means protecting employees from harm, injury, and illness in the workplace. Organizations should ensure that employees have the right tools, training, and resources to perform their jobs safely (OSHA, 2023). Examples discussed included:
Providing proper equipment
Maintaining a clean and hazard-free environment
Developing clear emergency protocols
When employees feel physically safe, they report reduced stress and anxiety, along with greater job satisfaction and organizational loyalty (Harvard Center for Work, Health, & Well-being, 2020).
Psychological Safety: A Culture of Voice and Respect
Psychological safety is the belief that a workplace is safe to speak up, ask questions, share ideas, admit mistakes, and bring one’s whole self to work. Research shows that high levels of psychological safety improve engagement, innovation, and mental health (Edmondson, 2019).
At WTT Connected, participants emphasized that creating this culture requires respectful leadership, quick conflict resolution, and structures that support employee voice. One example shared was forming a joint safety and wellness committee with representatives from across departments to ensure programs meet real needs.
Integrating Safety and Wellbeing Initiatives
Integrating safety with well-being acknowledges that employees’ health affects their ability to work safely, and a safe environment reduces stress and supports overall well-being. Integration includes:
Leadership commitment - from executives to front line managers
Employee involvement - designing, implementing, and evaluating programs
Training and communication - ongoing education to reinforce safety and well-being
Data-driven programs - using validated tools to guide improvement
One participant shared how ergonomic data showing a rise in musculoskeletal issues led their company to expand ergonomic programs and introduce supports such as workstation assessments and stretch breaks (NIOSH, 2020).
Measuring the Impact of Safe Workplaces
Organizations can evaluate progress by collecting and analyzing data on safety incidents, health outcomes, and well-being indicators. Tools mentioned included the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ) and validated psychological safety assessments (NIOSH, 2021).
Highlights from the Conversation
Participants brought forward a range of insights, including:
“We have to help leaders value it by connecting safety and wellbeing to retention and turnover.”
“We have so many resources and initiatives, but how do we make them seamless for employees?”
“Long hours and overwork increase mistakes and accidents, a major workplace wellbeing challenge.”
“Middle managers are pivotal. Inspire them rather than force compliance.”
“Break down silos: HR, safety, benefits, and communications need to work together.”“Clinician wellbeing should be framed as a patient safety issue.”
Personal Commitments to Safety and Wellbeing
The session closed with participants naming small but meaningful actions they plan to take for their own safety and well-being, such as:
Taking full lunch breaks to recharge
Moving throughout the day
Getting adequate sleep
Scheduling intentional well-being breaks
Requesting ergonomic assessments of office setups
The takeaway? Safety and well-being are two sides of the same coin. By integrating them into strategy, culture, and daily practice, organizations create environments where employees can thrive and where performance is sustained.
Be sure to register for our next event! Check out what’s coming up here.
