I often hear people confuse the terms psychological and psychosocial. So, what is the difference?
Psychological refers to a person’s inner mental and emotional state. Therefore, psychological safety means a person can share their inner thoughts and feelings about safety without fear of retribution. A psychologically safe workplace is a space where people can talk about issues without concerns for negative consequences.
Psychosocial, on the other hand, refers to the interaction between these internal aspects and external factors. The term psychosocial safety involves the broader environmental and social factors that can impact on people while they are at work. They include management practices, such as good work design, that effect workers psychological health and safety.
These two factors can interrelate. For example, poor management of work place behavior, such as bullying, can impact on worker’s psychological health. Similarly, a person experiencing psychological issues outside of the workplace may be more vulnerable to psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
