Discover why psychological safety is crucial for your team & learn practical steps to build a supportive, innovative workplace where everyone feels valued...
What is Psychological Safety at Work?
Psychological safety at work means creating an environment where everyone feels confident sharing ideas, asking questions, voicing concerns, or admitting mistakes without fear of punishment, humiliation, or rejection. It’s not about everyone always agreeing or being excessively polite. Instead, it’s about making sure people feel comfortable speaking up, challenging the status quo, and working through disagreements openly and honestly. When psychological safety is present, team members know they can be their authentic selves without facing negative repercussions.
Why Psychological Safety Matters...
Psychological safety isn’t just a “nice-to-have” - it’s essential for any organisation aiming to thrive. Teams that feel safe are not only more innovative but also more resilient and productive. Research shows these teams perform better and experience less conflict. When people feel secure, they’re more likely to take risks that lead to meaningful progress, such as proposing new ideas, questioning outdated processes, and seeking feedback.
The importance of psychological safety is particularly clear in diverse teams. When people from different backgrounds feel comfortable sharing their ideas, the team can solve problems more creatively and effectively. Conversely, if team members are hesitant to speak up, the benefits of diversity are lost. This is a common issue; according to a 2019 Gallup poll, only 3 in 10 employees strongly agreed that their opinions matter at work.
The stakes are even higher for people from marginalised groups. For example, nearly half of female business leaders have reported feeling uncomfortable speaking up in virtual meetings, with some feeling overlooked or ignored. This highlights the urgent need to create an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.
The Impact of Psychological Safety on Your Organisation
A workplace that prioritises psychological safety is better positioned to innovate, collaborate, and avoid failure. When employees feel safe expressing their ideas and concerns, they are more likely to contribute to the organisation’s success. Conversely, a lack of psychological safety can lead to disengagement, stifled creativity, and missed opportunities.
In a psychologically unsafe environment, employees may hesitate to highlight issues with projects that aren’t working, leading to continued investment in failing initiatives. Similarly, if people are afraid to suggest new ideas or question the way things are done, the organisation might miss out on valuable opportunities for innovation and improvement.
Why Psychological Safety Matters More Than Ever
With the rise of hybrid and remote work arrangements, creating psychological safety has become more challenging yet more critical than ever. Building trust and safety in a virtual environment requires intentional effort. Leaders must find ways to connect with their teams and encourage open communication, even when everyone is working from different locations.
Virtual meetings give leaders a chance to really notice how their team members are feeling and pick up on non-verbal cues that might be missed in a busy office. Additionally, some people may feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts in writing - through chat messages, for instance - where they have time to choose their words carefully. Acknowledging and valuing these contributions can help create a culture of psychological safety, even if you're not seeing each other in person.
8 Steps Towards Creating a More Psychologically Safe Workplace
- Make Psychological Safety a Priority: Communicate openly about the importance of psychological safety, linking it to broader goals like innovation, engagement, and inclusion. Lead by example, demonstrate inclusive leadership behaviours, and encourage your team to follow suit.
- Encourage Open Communication: Create an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up. Show genuine curiosity, respect for different viewpoints, and listen carefully when someone challenges the status quo.
- Handle Failure Constructively: Promote experimentation and sensible risk-taking by treating mistakes as learning opportunities. Share your own experiences with failure to normalise it as part of the growth process.
- Welcome New Ideas: Encourage team members to propose creative ideas, even if they are not fully formed. Ask challenging questions in a supportive manner, encouraging further development of ideas.
- Support Healthy Conflict: Promote open dialogue and constructive debate, and work with your team to resolve conflicts productively. Establish clear expectations for how concerns should be communicated and differing opinions managed.
- Pay Attention to Patterns: Monitor how psychological safety varies across your team. Address any disparities to ensure that all team members feel equally secure.
- Promote Dialogue and Feedback: Build a culture of constructive feedback and open dialogue. Encourage your team to share their thoughts and concerns, and offer chances for them to improve their communication skills.
- Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements, no matter how small. Sharing credit widely and celebrating collective successes builds trust and reinforces psychological safety.
Getting Everyone On Board
Creating a psychologically safe workplace isn’t just a job for senior management - everyone needs to be involved. Training is key to ensuring everyone understands what psychological safety means, why it’s important, and how it benefits both individuals and the whole team. Without this understanding, it can be tough for people to really put these ideas into practice. Both formal and informal training can help everyone grasp their role in making the workplace supportive and inclusive.
Psychological safety is crucial for a healthy, innovative, and inclusive workplace. When leaders make psychological safety a priority, they create a space where employees feel comfortable sharing their best ideas, collaborating with each other, and helping the organisation move forward. As work continues to change, especially with more remote setups, focusing on psychological safety will be essential for long-term success.
