When you think of safety in the workplace, what usually comes to mind are high-vis jackets, mandatory training, maybe something about using ladders or the correct lifting techniques. But what we often don’t think about is psychological safety. It’s time that changed.
At its core, psychological safety is about fostering an environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities, not failures. It’s about ensuring people feel supported, confident, and empowered in their decision-making. It’s about speaking up without fear of repercussions. In today’s evolving workplace landscape — remote, hybrid, or office-based — psychological safety is more important than ever.
What is psychological safety?
Psychological safety is a concept introduced by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy C. Edmondson, who researched the relationship between errors and teamwork in hospitals. Surprisingly, she found that the most effective teams made more mistakes, but they felt safe reporting them. In contrast, other teams were reluctant to report errors due to fear of consequences.
In the professional services environment, this translates into creating a space where people can openly share difficult or sensitive topics, own up to mistakes, and challenge others without fear of punishment.
The business (and personal) benefits
Psychological safety sounds great, but for businesses to prioritise it, there must be tangible benefits. Fortunately, research supports its value.
Feeling excluded or marginalised at work is a serious issue. Only 3 out of 10 employees feel their opinions count. In virtual meetings, 1 in 5 women feel overlooked. These employees likely don’t feel psychologically safe.
Workplaces with high levels of psychological safety report better performance and fewer interpersonal conflicts. On a personal level, employees are more engaged, motivated, and less likely to leave. Combining these personal and business benefits makes a compelling case for prioritising psychological safety.
Why leaders struggle with psychological safety
Many of us grew up in environments where challenging authority wasn’t encouraged, and mistakes were met with direct consequences. Some leaders replicate these dynamics, making it hard for them to embrace psychological safety. For these leaders, the concept can feel at odds with their past experiences and biases about workplace structure.
However, other leaders are excited by the idea of a workplace where collaboration and healthy debate thrive. These leaders are pioneering efforts to make psychologically safe workplaces the norm, not the exception.
Challenging the status quo
Creating a psychologically safe workplace is easier when everyone is physically present. However, hybrid and remote work bring unique challenges. Trust can become a concern for both employers and employees, with each side potentially feeling scrutinised. Building psychological safety remotely requires effort.
During the pandemic, only 26% of employees reported feeling psychologically safe. Burnout, stress, and loneliness highlighted the difficulties in fostering psychological safety in remote settings. Yet, it’s still possible. Leaders must consciously navigate these obstacles by fostering trust and connection virtually, whether through casual pre-meeting chats or informal check-ins.
Building psychological safety
Building psychological safety takes time and consistent effort, starting with senior leadership. Leaders need to show vulnerability, sharing their mistakes and challenges to encourage openness from their teams.
Listening is another crucial component. Many leaders overestimate their listening skills. To support teams effectively, leaders need to hear and respond to what’s being shared.
Simple actions like celebrating success, encouraging contributions, and creating space for new ideas can lay the foundation for a culture of psychological safety. As these practices spread across teams, a culture of openness and support will naturally take root.
Redefining safety
We need to broaden our understanding of workplace safety. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was developed in a different era. While physical safety is still vital, today’s world demands we prioritise psychological safety as well.
Employers have a moral obligation to cultivate psychologically safe workplaces, ensuring teams are productive, motivated, and engaged. By doing so, we can create truly inclusive workplaces where difficult conversations are embraced, and collaboration thrives. Only then will we achieve the kind of workplaces we all deserve.