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Conducting a GM@W Organizational Review: Getting Started
Why do a GM@W Organizational Review?
A GM@W Organizational Review of existing policies and practices related to the protection of your employees’ psychological health is the first step toward determining the extent to which your workplace is psychologically safe. A psychologically healthy and safe workplace is one that promotes employees’ psychological well-being and actively works to prevent harm to employee psychological health due to negligent, reckless or intentional acts. The GM@W Organizational Review is designed to accompany the GM@W Survey, which provides input from your employees’ perspectives. Conducting both the GM@W Organizational Review and the GM@W Survey allows a comparison between management and employee perspectives.
Workplaces may differ in the language describing various roles and positions. GM@W uses the terms ‘employee’, ‘staff’, ‘supervisor’, ‘management’ and ‘employer’. Please use the terms appropriate for your workplace when working with GM@W Resources.
What is involved in the GM@W Organizational Review process?
The GM@W Organizational Review process involves the completion of up to 13 GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets, each corresponding to one of the Psychosocial Factors. Each GM@W Organizational Review Worksheet includes: ✓ Definition of the Psychosocial Factor ✓ Information that would be helpful to refer to or collect ✓ Checklist of descriptors of your workplace 2012 by J. Samra, M. Gilbert, M. Shain & D. Bilsker. Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA). All rights reserved.
CONDUCTING A GM@W ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW: GETTING STARTED 1
What do you need to complete the GM@W Organizational Review?
The following may help you complete the GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets.
• Documentation: Gather and refer to reports or documents with information relevant to employee and organizational functioning.
- e.g., rates of and reasons for absenteeism/disability, turnover rates, benefits utilization and costs • Organizational and/or Market-Specific Considerations: It is important to take into account current factors or trends that may be compromising the psychological health and safety of your workplace. - e.g., lack of available skilled workers, aging workforce, changes in market conditions, pending merger • Employee Input: Information from your staff may be helpful. - e.g., employee suggestions, health and safety committee reports, employee surveys Who completes the GM@W Organizational Review?
The GM@W Organizational Review may be completed by one or more individuals within the organization – this may vary depending on the size and nature of the organization. For example, the GM@W Organizational Review may be completed by the owner or manager within a small-sized business or work team. In a medium-sized business, the GM@W Organizational Review may be conducted by a designated human resources professional. In a large-sized business, there may be a range of potential individuals available to undertake the process (e.g., human resources professional, occupational health & safety representative, division/department head, regional manager).
You may wish to create a subcommittee or select a small group of staff to participate in the process. To heighten the objectivity of the process, you may also consider using an external consulting group with expertise in the GM@W process. Where do you go from here?
Review the 13 GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets corresponding to the Psychosocial Factors to determine where you might begin addressing psychological health and safety issues. We recommend that you complete the GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets before, or in parallel with, administering the GM@W Survey to your employees.
2012 by J. Samra, M. Gilbert, M. Shain & D. Bilsker. Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA). All rights reserved.
CONDUCTING A GM@W ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW: GETTING STARTED 2
How to select Psychosocial Factors for the GM@W Organizational Review
It can be difficult to determine where to begin. For this reason, we recommend that you prioritize the GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets you will complete. Focus on one Psychosocial Factor at a time. This helps to streamline your efforts and increases your likelihood of success.
Begin by completing GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets for: (a) Factors that disproportionately impact your organization financially.
(b) Factors that are particularly relevant to changes occurring within your organization or work unit (e.g., if there have been recent changes in leadership, you may want to select the corresponding GM@W Organizational Review Worksheet for PF3: Clear Leadership & Expectations).
(c) Factors that are particularly relevant to key incidents or events (e.g., legal action, suicide).
We recommend that you eventually complete all of the GM@W Organizational Review Worksheets in order to provide the most thorough overview of your organization’s psychological health and safety. After completing each GM@W Organizational Review Worksheet, enter your score into the associated GM@W Action Planning Worksheet.
2012 by J. Samra, M. Gilbert, M. Shain & D. Bilsker. Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction (CARMHA). All rights reserved.
CONDUCTING A GM@W ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW: GETTING STARTED 3

Source: http://www.guardingmindsatwork.ca/docs/dashboard/assessment/GM@W_Organizational_Review_Getting_Started.pdf