Framing PHS lead indicators: Behaviours as the North Star

The true value of a psychological health and safety (PHS) program goes beyond identifying psychosocial risks; it shapes a workplace where employees feel valued, respected and safe. Risk assessments and hazard prevention programming are critical foundations, but they are not the ultimate goal.

The North Star for any PHS initiative is influencing behaviours that protect and promote mental health and foster psychological safety in the workplace. When understood, these behaviours can become an organization’s PHS lead indicators – predictive signals that help all employees thrive, learn and grow.

Why PHS lead indicators matter

Employees don’t experience safety through policies or posters. They experience it through daily interactions with peers, customers and leadership actions. When policies are clearly defined and promote the desired behaviours that support an organization’s PHS goals, they create the conditions for a psychologically safe workplace that fosters a climate of trust and inclusion. When policies are not clearly defined, risk escalates, even in organizations with strong written policies.

Culture vs. climate: The bridge is behaviour

• Psychosocial safety culture is the organization’s structural commitment to creating a PHS program that promotes hazard prevention, policies, leadership priorities, and governance systems that support a psychologically and physically safe workplace.
• Psychological safety climate is the lived experience of employees who perceive their ability to speak up, ask for help, and take interpersonal risks without fear.

Culture sets the intention; climate reflects reality. The bridge between the two is behaviour. Without observable behaviours that reinforce safety, culture remains aspirational, and climate suffers.

Defining lead indicators — key performance behaviours

In the context of PHS, lead indicators are proactive signals that predict success before problems occur. These are key performance behaviours (KPBs) – specific, measurable actions that, when done consistently, act as charges and protective factors for building a strong psychosocial safety culture. KPBs can help predict lead indicators such as attendance, disability and turnover.

Unlike lag indicators (e.g., injury rates, turnover), KPBs focus on what people do every day to create safety and well-being. They are observable, clearly defined, require repeatable actions to achieve impact, and directly influence employees’ experience. When the right KPBs are embedded in a workplace and consistently implemented, they reduce the risk of harm and serve as protective factors.

The goal: What “good” looks like

The ultimate goal of a PHS program is clarity: everyone knows what “good” looks like and how to achieve it through behaviours, not just policies. This means moving beyond compliance to a shared understanding of the actions that define a healthy, safe workplace.

One activity for an organization beginning its PHS journey is creating a top 10 list of KPB lead indicators. This can be aligned with workplace assessments and hazard-prevention initiatives to ensure that PHS initiatives are not just activities but are focused on behaviours and reinforcement, instilling the correct habits and promoting a psychologically safe workplace for all employees.

This involves getting employees’ input and publicizing the habits as representatives of the desired North Star behaviours that support a psychologically safe workplace.

10 examples of protective KPB lead indicators that can be measured

The following KPB examples illustrate the behaviours employees may define as beneficial and help them feel that the organization is committed to becoming a psychologically safe workplace. They can be defined collaboratively with employees to reflect “what good looks like” in your organization.

1. Employees speak up without fear.
   Observable: Employees raise concerns in meetings or via reporting channels.
   Measure: Frequency of reported issues; pulse checks assess employees’ confidence in speaking up.
2. Leaders listen actively.
   Observable: Leaders paraphrase input and confirm their understanding during conversations.
   Measure: Employees’ feedback on feeling heard can be gathered through focus groups, interviews, one-on-ones, and pulse checks.
3. Mistakes are treated as learning.
   Observable: Teams share mistakes and hold “lessons learned” reviews without blame.
   Measure: The number of post-incident reviews and employees’ perceived safety in reporting mistakes.
4. Recognition is timely and specific.
   Observable: Leaders acknowledge contributions within 48 hours and cite their impact.
   Measure: Count of recognitions logged; pulse checks on feeling appreciated.
5. Regular one-on-one check-ins are conducted.
   Observable: Leaders schedule regular check-ins with employees and prioritize them in their workload and well-being.
   Measure: Completion rate of one-on-ones; employee satisfaction scores of the value of one-on-one meetings.
6. Decision-making is inclusive.
   Observable: Employees from different roles contribute ideas; the rationale for decisions is shared openly.
   Measure: Employees’ perception of inclusion; pulse checks on whether they feel their voices matter in decision-making.
7. Tacit knowledge is shared.
   Observable: Employees share practical know-how and lessons learned in team forums or peer sessions.
   Measure: Frequency of knowledge-sharing sessions; employee feedback on how peers share knowledge willingly.
8. Collaboration ranks above competition.
   Observable: Teams share resources and publicly celebrate joint wins.
   Measure: Number of cross-team projects; employees’ ratings on teamwork.
9. Employees participate in well-being programs.
   Observable: Employees engage in wellness initiatives, training and support programs.
   Measure: Participation rates; employee feedback on program usefulness.
10. Civility and respect exist in all interactions.
    Observable: Meetings are free of interruptions; acts of incivility are addressed constructively.
    Measure: Employee pulse checks on civility; HR data on employee conflict due to incivility (i.e., rudeness). 

Four-step process to define top-10 KPBs

This process is simple, collaborative and focused on clarity:

1. Clarify the goal: Define what success means for your PHS program: a workplace where employees feel valued, respected and safe. Write a short statement that answers: “What does good look like here?” The goal is to spark the behaviours that support a positive employee experience and are recognized as desired.
2. Engage employees and leaders: Facilitate discussions or workshops to identify behaviours that foster a sense of safety and support. Ask: “What kind of behaviours, when done consistently by all, will contribute to a psychologically safe workplace?” Gather input from all levels and assess how aligned the outputs are with the organizational values. The goal is to move from abstract concepts to specific, observable and measurable behaviours.
3. Select and define the top-10 list: Work towards discovering 10 KPBs that can be framed as PHS lead indicators that are specific, measurable and observable. For each, describe:
   • What the behaviour is
   • How it will be learned and held accountable (through training, policies, initiatives)
   • How it will be measured (completion rates, pulse scores, participation).
4. Make it visible and reinforce it: Publish the top-10 list of lead indicators, integrate them into your PHS program, and measure them to support learning and accountability, and strengthen their value. There may be fewer or more than 10. Start slow and make the list as simple as possible. The goal is to move from concept to practical behaviours. Too often, a workshop taught over two days shares much content but does not make clear what behaviours are to be repeated and why. Psychological safety does not need to be complicated, but to have an impact, what defines “good” must be clear and straightforward to all employees.

Why this matters

When organizations define and measure KPBs, they move from policy-driven compliance to a behaviour-driven culture. This clarity ensures that every initiative, program and policy aligns with the ultimate goal: creating a workplace where psychological safety is lived, not just promised. Employees should never be left to “figure it out.” The program must make expectations clear and provide the tools, training and support to create the desired behaviours routine.

Want to learn more about implementing psychological health and safety programs? Register for the next offering of Protect: Micro-training for Implementing Psychological Health and Safety Programs on April 15, 2026.