Free! Mental Wealth: Building Psychological Wellbeing at Work
Participants will leave with actionable steps to create psychologically safe environments that reduce safety incidents, improve retention and foster well‑being.
Description
Construction is a high‑risk environment not only physically but mentally. Workers face hazards, harassment, labour shortages and high pressure, which contribute to presenteeism, depression and turnover. Yet when employees feel psychologically safe (i.e., they believe they can speak up with ideas or concerns without fear of punishment), they become less focused on self‑preservation and more on the good of the team. Research shows that psychological safety is the most important factor in successful teams and is linked to fewer errors, higher productivity and better retention.
Presented by Genevieve Retzlaff, PCC, CTPC Founder and CEO of Grow Better Together
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the connection between psychological safety, mental health, and organizational outcomes in construction.
- Recognize behaviours that support or harm mental wellbeing on job sites.
- Learn simple, practical actions leaders and employees can take to reduce stress, improve communication, and encourage speaking up.
- Build awareness of how leadership responses to mistakes or concerns shape retention and trust.
- Leave with actionable strategies to support psychological wellbeing and reduce turnover.
Course content
Why Mental Wealth Matters in Construction
- Industry statistics: higher mental health risks and turnover.
- Link between psychological wellbeing, fewer safety incidents, and stronger retention.
Amy Edmondson’s Core Principles of Psychological Safety
- Speaking up is risky, but silence is costlier.
- Leaders set the tone by inviting input and responding constructively.
- Psychological safety builds both performance and wellbeing.
Behaviours that Build or Break Wellbeing
- Positive: open communication in toolbox talks, normalizing asking for help, recognizing effort.
- Negative: blaming after mistakes, ignoring stress, shutting down concerns.
- Real-world examples from construction settings.
Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams
- Use toolbox talks to include a wellbeing check-in.
- Run after-action reviews focused on learning, not blame.
- Adopt supportive responses: “What made this hard?” instead of “Why did you mess this up?”
- Encourage peer support and buddy systems on site.
Personal Reflection and Action Planning
- Identify one small action you can take this week to create a safer, more supportive workplace.
- Commit to a practical step to improve both psychological safety and mental wellbeing on your team.
Delivery Method: Virtual Session – Zoom Webinar
Important Note:
We encourage active participation in this workshop, which involves interactive elements such as polls, word clouds, and multiple-choice questions and the ability to submit questions to the presenters. To ensure a safe and confidential space, we want to highlight that you will have the option to interact with us anonymously using the interactive platform Slido.
Your privacy and comfort are of utmost importance, and we want to create an environment where everyone feels free to engage openly. If you have any concerns or questions about anonymity or the interactive features, please feel free to reach out to the ICBA Training Team at training@icba.ca
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for construction professionals across roles –> site supervisors, team leads, project managers, forepersons, subcontractor coordinators and support staff. It is also useful for HR professionals and leaders aiming to improve retention and mental well‑being within their construction workforce.