Work is constantly evolving. These changes can bring innovation and flexibility, but they can also introduce new risks. While physical safety remains critical, understanding worker well-being in a holistic manner is emerging as a high priority.

Environmental, health and safety (EHS) professionals are being asked to reimagine what it means to keep people safe, not just from slips, trips and falls, but from stress, burnout and disengagement. To do so, we must create environments where workers feel that their overall well-being is supported beyond the workplace. This holistic approach is essential to long-term performance, retention and health. It also represents another example of going beyond compliance.

Well-being is not a “nice to have”; it is an essential outcome. Psychological conditions not only affect morale, but they also influence physical safety. Workers under psychological strain are more likely to experience fatigue, lose focus or overlook hazards, all of which can lead to preventable injuries or serious incidents. Chronic health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes also put workers at risk of injury.

Assessing risk to well-being follows the same core processes we use to manage physical risks. The ANSI/ASSP/ISO 31000 risk management framework applies to well-­being just as it does for injury or illness. By recognizing psychosocial risk as part of the broader EHS landscape, organizations can incorporate mental health considerations into existing assessments and controls.

That is why we must treat well-being as a core element of risk management. We must integrate wellness into hazard assessments, safety training and reporting systems. And we must help teams recognize signs of distress and encourage open dialogue.

In any changing environment, leadership is the key to stability. What leaders say and how they behave sets the emotional tone for the organization. A culture of safety starts with leaders who model empathy, prioritize people and understand that overall well-being is part of performance.

Empathetic leadership builds trust. When workers trust their leaders, they are more likely to report concerns, ask for help and engage actively, all of which support overall well-being and job performance.

Effective communication is an underutilized tool in many situations. During times of change, unclear communication increases confusion and adds to stress. This can lead to disengagement, mistakes or overlooked hazards.

On the other hand, clear and timely communication strengthens confidence and reduces unnecessary stress, anxiety and disengagement. Workers must understand what is changing, why it is changing and how it affects them. Proactive and transparent communication is a form of prevention.

But communication must flow both ways. We must regularly listen to employee feedback, especially when introducing new systems, processes or expectations. Their insight is essential for identifying unseen risks of all types, whether related to physical safety or overall well-being within the workplace or beyond. When communication is open and consistent, safety becomes a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role in maintaining it.

As EHS professionals, we may be wondering how we can address these concerns. To be clear, we are not being asked to become therapists or medical experts. Instead, our role is to recognize when something may be wrong so we can connect workers with appropriate resources while creating a supportive environment.

If you are looking for resources, consider the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being. It offers a foundation of five essentials that “support workplaces as engines of well-­being.” In addition, the guidance in ISO 45003 can help us manage psychosocial risks. Both tools can help us navigate this space with clarity and credibility.

Preserving safety and well-being in today’s dynamic workplaces requires a holistic approach. When organizations support both the body and mind, they foster trust and resilience. As environments continue to shift, so must our safety strategies. We must embed well-being into our practices, recognizing psychosocial risk through risk assessment and supporting the whole worker. With the right resources and a shared commitment, we can go beyond compliance and create environments where people can truly thrive.