Toolbox Talks: Sample language to help create psychologically safe and respectful workplaces

| ETCP Certifiable News: Spring 2022 |

Language about mental health and respectful workplaces should be a part of every toolbox talk or safety briefing because psychological safety is as important as physical safety. Workers who are experiencing distress either from issues in the workplace or at home can be distracted to the point of creating a hazard.

It’s not always an easy subject to talk about though, so to make it easier for those delivering these talks the Behind the Scenes Mental Health Initiative suggests topics and provides sample language that can be used as is or tailored to fit your needs. This information is meant to be incorporated into your current safety or toolbox talks and is not meant to replace other safety briefings. Find out more at btshelp.org/toolboxtalks.

It is important to acknowledge the mental and physical stressors and challenges faced by everyone in the entertainment industry and offer your team tools to help them better manage and respond to these challenges. 

Sample language is provided under these main headings:

• How to talk about mental health and psychological safety

• Acknowledge stressors and challenges in the workplace

• Let people know it’s ok not to be ok

• How to take action and provide support

• Set guidelines for team interaction

• Foster a positive environment

Underneath each heading are a few key points, such as “Explain why mental health awareness is important in the workplace” or “Talking openly about potential stressors and anxiety triggers can lessen their impact.” Under each point we have provided sample sentences such as “Stress can contribute to accidents” or “We understand that coming back to work right now is especially challenging for all of us because our workplace looks and feels different than when we left it.” The information is available for download as a Word document so it’s easy to cut and paste. It only takes a few moments to look through the topics and sample language and put together wording that’s appropriate for your situation and that you feel comfortable delivering. 

In addition to the sample language provided under each topic, we also offer a selection of brief pre-scripted talks that take less than two minutes to deliver. If you don’t want to craft your own from the sample individual statements, simply find a pre-scripted talk whose language you are comfortable with and you are ready to go.

We know that the last couple of years in particular has been very stressful and returning to work is bringing a new set of concerns for everyone. Many people are struggling with anxiety, grief, feeling overwhelmed, inability to concentrate, changes in appetite or sleep, changes in drinking or substance use patterns, or other issues affecting daily functioning. But this moment also presents us with an opportunity to begin a culture change in our industry. Many entertainment workers struggled with mental health challenges prior to the pandemic due to the long hours and high stress that accompanies work in every segment of the industry. During the last years, most people have felt some degree of emotional distress and have a better understanding and awareness of the role mental health and psychological safety play in their daily lives. This is the moment to talk openly about these subjects and to de-stigmatize them. This is how change happens.