Rate each item based on what you honestly observe in your organization — not policy, not aspiration. The accuracy of results depends entirely on honest input.
02
Review domain scores
Each of the six domains scores automatically. Any domain below 60% represents a structural psychosocial risk that requires attention.
03
Act on the results
Your results are a starting point, not a destination. Book a discovery call at execrn.com to discuss findings and build a targeted response.
1
Domain One · Workload & Demands
Workload & Sustainable Capacity
Evidence base: Chronic imbalance between job demands and available resources is the most consistently documented driver of exhaustion in the occupational literature (Maslach, Schaufeli & Leiter, 2001) — and the first domino in workforce attrition cascades. Domain aligned with Canada's National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Z1003-13).
1.1
Staff in my organization can consistently complete their core responsibilities within scheduled hours without requiring chronic overtime or off-shift work.
Never true
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Always true
1.2
When workload increases unexpectedly, there are functioning mechanisms to redistribute tasks, defer non-essential work, or access additional resources — not simply absorb the demand.
Strongly disagree
1
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Strongly agree
1.3
Recovery time — breaks, vacation, and transition periods between high-demand cycles — is genuinely protected as an organizational priority, not just permitted on paper.
Not at all true
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Completely true
1.4
Staffing levels are informed by actual workload evidence — not budget constraint alone — and when gaps exist, leadership responds with visible, timely action.
Disagree
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Agree
1.5
The physical and emotional demands of the work are acknowledged by leadership as legitimate organizational data — not minimized, normalized, or attributed to individual weakness.
Never
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Always
Domain 1 Score
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2
Domain Two · Civility, Respect & Psychological Safety
Psychological Safety & Civility
Evidence base: Psychological safety (Edmondson, 1999, 2019) is the strongest organizational predictor of team performance, retention, and the willingness to report unsafe conditions — and civility is foundational to it. Domain aligned with CSA Z1003-13.
2.1
People in my organization feel safe to speak up — to raise concerns, ask questions, or identify problems — without fear of retaliation, ridicule, or being labelled as difficult.
Strongly disagree
1
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Strongly agree
2.2
Interpersonal conflict and harassment are addressed promptly and equitably — with a clear, accessible process — rather than left to resolve informally or managed inconsistently.
Never true
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Always true
2.3
Senior leaders in my organization consistently model respectful communication — including in high-pressure situations — and are held to the same standards of conduct as all other employees.
Disagree
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Agree
2.4
People experiencing mental health challenges are supported with genuine dignity — accommodations are made without stigma, and managers are equipped to have these conversations competently.
Not at all
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Consistently
2.5
Mistakes are treated as organizational learning opportunities — not as events that trigger blame, public embarrassment, or disproportionate consequence.
Never
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Always
Domain 2 Score
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3
Domain Three · Autonomy, Influence & Leadership Clarity
Autonomy, Control & Meaningful Involvement
Evidence base: Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) identifies autonomy as a fundamental psychological need. Lack of control is a primary driver of depersonalization — the most dangerous and least visible dimension of workforce deterioration. Domain aligned with CSA Z1003-13.
3.1
People in my organization have meaningful input into how their work is structured, sequenced, and prioritized — not just what they are expected to produce.
Not at all
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Completely
3.2
When decisions affecting staff are made, there is a genuine consultation process — staff voice is sought before decisions are finalized, not after implementation.
Never
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Always
3.3
People have a realistic path to raise problems with their work processes — and a reasonable expectation that concerns will be genuinely considered, not dismissed or deprioritized.
Not at all true
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Always true
3.4
Role expectations, performance standards, and organizational priorities are communicated clearly — people know what is expected of them and why, without having to guess or navigate ambiguity.
Strongly disagree
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Strongly agree
3.5
People trust that the information they receive from leadership is accurate and complete — not managed, withheld, or shaped primarily to manage their reaction.
Never
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Always
Domain 3 Score
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4
Domain Four · Recognition, Reward & Growth
Recognition, Reward & Professional Growth
Evidence base: Insufficient reward predicts reduced sense of accomplishment — the third pillar of workforce deterioration (Maslach, Schaufeli & Leiter, 2001). Deci & Ryan's (2000) Self-Determination Theory identifies competence as a fundamental human need; unmet competence need accelerates disengagement. Domain aligned with CSA Z1003-13.
4.1
When people do exceptional work, recognition is specific, timely, and publicly visible — not confined to annual reviews or performance appraisals months after the fact.
Never
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Always
4.2
Compensation in my organization is competitive, transparent in its structure, and perceived as fair by the majority of the workforce — not a source of ongoing resentment or inequity.
Strongly disagree
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Strongly agree
4.3
Career development — growth opportunities, lateral moves, skill development, and promotion — is accessible and equitably distributed, not dependent on proximity to influential leaders.
Not at all true
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Always true
4.4
The meaning and purpose of people's work is acknowledged by leadership — the human impact of what staff do is named and celebrated, not only the outputs and metrics.
Never
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Always
4.5
People leave our organization feeling they have grown professionally — not that they survived, escaped, or were diminished by the experience of working here.
Disagree
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Agree
Domain 4 Score
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5
Domain Five · Culture, Fairness & Engagement
Fairness, Equity & Organizational Justice
Evidence base: Organizational justice research (Greenberg, 1990; Colquitt et al., 2001) consistently identifies perceived fairness as a stronger predictor of engagement than compensation. Unfairness perception triggers the same neurological threat response as physical danger — it is not a soft concern. Domain aligned with CSA Z1003-13.
5.1
Decisions about promotions, assignments, disciplinary actions, and resource allocation are made transparently and consistently — not influenced by personal relationships, politics, or favoritism.
Strongly disagree
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Strongly agree
5.2
Workload, responsibilities, and support resources are distributed equitably across comparable roles — without persistent patterns of some people consistently carrying more than others.
Not at all
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Consistently
5.3
When policies or decisions are unpopular, leadership provides honest rationale — and demonstrates genuine openness to feedback — rather than simply expecting compliance.
Never
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Always
5.4
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are reflected in the actual composition and advancement of leadership — not only in policy statements or aspirational language.
Disagree
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Agree
5.5
When someone raises a concern about unfairness or inequitable treatment, there is a credible, accessible process to address it — and a reasonable expectation it will be taken seriously.
Never true
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Always true
Domain 5 Score
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Complete all 5 questions to see score
6
Domain Six · Support & Moral Climate
Values Alignment & Moral Environment
Evidence base: Moral distress (Jameton, 1984) — knowing the right action but being constrained from taking it — is one of the most significant and least-addressed drivers of attrition in caring professions. Moral residue accumulates silently until it reaches the threshold for departure or breakdown. Domain aligned with CSA Z1003-13.
6.1
People in my organization feel that what they are asked to do at work is compatible with their own ethical and professional values — not in regular tension or outright conflict with them.
Strongly disagree
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Strongly agree
6.2
When organizational decisions create ethical discomfort for staff — particularly in caring professions — there is a legitimate space to name it and have it acknowledged, not just implemented without discussion.
Never
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Always
6.3
The organization's stated values are reflected in how leadership actually behaves — particularly in difficult situations — not only in onboarding materials and wall signage.
Never
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Consistently
6.4
People feel genuinely cared for as human beings by this organization — not only valued as a productive resource that can be redeployed, managed, or replaced as needed.
Strongly disagree
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Strongly agree
6.5
The wellness initiatives and support programs offered by this organization reflect a genuine understanding of what staff actually need — not only what is cost-effective, easy to measure, or good for the organization's public profile.
Disagree
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Agree
Domain 6 Score
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Complete all 5 questions to see score
About This Tool — Methodology & Limitations
What this is: The ExecRN Signature Assessment is an evidence-informed organizational screening tool developed by Sarah Scahill, MHS, BN, RN, CDMP, CCHNC-C. All questions were developed specifically for this tool to reflect six psychosocial domains consistently identified in the peer-reviewed occupational health literature, with reporting aligned to Canada's National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace (CSA Z1003-13). No questions are reproduced from any existing validated instrument or third-party framework.
How scoring works: Each question is scored 1–10. Each domain contains 5 questions for a maximum of 50 points per domain and 300 total. Domain scores below 70% (35/50) indicate emerging or elevated organizational psychosocial risk in that area. Overall scores below 50% (150/300) indicate significant multi-domain risk requiring organizational attention.
What this is not: This tool has not been independently peer-reviewed or validated as a standalone psychometric instrument. It is an evidence-informed screening tool designed to prompt organizational reflection — not a clinical assessment, not a diagnostic instrument, and not a substitute for a comprehensive organizational research process. Results reflect the perspective of one respondent and should be interpreted accordingly.
Convergent validity: The six domains map to established psychosocial risk factors supported by published research. Domain 1 (Workload) correlates with emotional exhaustion literature (Maslach & Leiter, 2022). Domain 2 (Psychological Safety) correlates with Edmondson (1999, 2018). Domain 3 (Autonomy) correlates with Ryan & Deci's Self-Determination Theory (2000). Domain 4 (Recognition) aligns with reward-burnout research. Domain 5 (Fairness) aligns with organizational justice literature (Greenberg, 1990). Domain 6 (Values) aligns with moral distress research (Jameton, 1984; Rushton, 2018).
Complete all 30 questions to see your full results
Evidence Framework & Attribution
This assessment tool was developed by Sarah Scahill, RN (ExecRN) and is informed by the following publicly available frameworks:
CSA Group. (2013, R2018). CAN/CSA-Z1003-13/BNQ 9700-803: Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace. National Standard of Canada. · Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W.B., & Leiter, M.P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 397–422. · Jameton, A. (1984). Nursing Practice: The Ethical Issues. Prentice-Hall. · Ryan, R.M., & Deci, E.L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. · Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. · Greenberg, J. (1990). Organizational justice. Research in Organizational Behavior, 12, 111–157.
Results are based on your responses across 6 domains. Each domain is scored out of 50. Your total score is out of 300. All scores reflect your honest assessment of your organization's current state.
Overall Psychosocial Health Score
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Domain Breakdown
Based on your results — here's where to focus first.
Important: This tool provides a self-assessed organizational snapshot based on one respondent's perspective. It is not equivalent to a validated multi-rater workforce assessment and should not be used as the sole basis for major organizational decisions. For a comprehensive assessment — including validated instruments, stakeholder interviews, and a defensible written report — contact ExecRN at execrn.com. This tool does not constitute legal advice.