How to Build Psychological Safety at the Workplace?
Ever heard the phrase “Speech is silver, but silence is golden?” These might sound like words of wisdom for daily life, but in a corporate setting, staying silent may do more harm than good. A company that creates an environment of silence is one that creates an environment of danger. If your team is too afraid to speak, to share their opinions or concerns, it's almost always going to end badly. You may have the best strategy and the smartest employees, but if they're afraid to speak, you will suffer in the long term. That is where psychological safety comes in. It is the belief among employees that they can give their opinions, take risks, and make decisions without fear of harsh, unnecessary negative consequences. It creates a safe environment that allows for experimentation and innovation, eventually leading to organizational success.
Table of Contents
What is Psychological Safety in the Workplace?
Why is Psychological Safety Best for Business?
The Foundation of Psychological Safety
How to Build Psychological Safety in the Workplace?
Conclusion
What is Psychological Safety in the Workplace?
Social scientists believe that psychological safety is one of our basic needs; in order for humans to be at the peak of their potential, they need to feel psychologically safe. At work, psychological safety involves being able to express your opinion freely, ask questions, and take risks without fear of drastic negative consequences. It’s not just a nice-to-have or something that's restricted to the HR Department; it's present at every level of the corporate hierarchy. According to a survey, 89% of employees believe psychological safety is essential.
Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson coined the term in 1999, and since then, several companies have incorporated psychological safety into their work culture.
When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft, he flipped the mindset from a “know-it-all” to a “learn-it-all” mindset. Leaders and employees were encouraged to ask questions, experiment, and innovate, which ended up leading to the revival of Microsoft's growth and innovation. This culture shift led to the creation of a psychologically safe environment where learning overrode the fear, and it paid off.
Why is Psychological Safety Best for Business?
When psychological safety is prioritized, it reflects in the business as well. Sure, it cannot be accounted for in any end-of-the-year reports, but it is a great performance driver. It's more than mere jargon; it gets the money rolling and the job done. If employees spend half their time second-guessing everything because of fear of consequences, it's double the time wasted. So how does it impact the company after all? A few ways are mentioned below: Higher Productivity and Performance :
When teams feel safe, they are more willing to experiment and innovate, often leading to a positive pay-off. When employees have creative freedom, they can question, potentially catch mistakes, and collaborate to find better solutions. They constantly push boundaries, think outside the box, and come up with business models that are bound to be successful.Improved Employee Well-Being :
Employees who feel psychologically safe are more likely to have better mental health. Psychologically unsafe environments leave employees feeling stressed, afraid, anxious, and even depressed. Their source of paying the bills also becomes their source of mental health struggles. Going by numbers, reportedly, employees who work in a psychologically safe environment feel 74% less stress.Reduced Turnover :
If you like your job, if it's a safe environment that allows you to grow, it's natural you would not want to leave. This logic is the most common in psychologically safe environments, where apparently, there is a 27% reduced turnover. The employees trust the company and feel valued, which ensures long-standing loyalty.
The Foundation of Psychological Safety
When you bake bread, there are 3 ingredients you need: flour, yeast, and water. Without these, there's no bread. Similarly, there are 3 building blocks of psychological safety as well- trust, respect, and inclusion.
Trust : This is the foundational aspect. An employee must have some sort of trust or belief in the organisation. Trust that if they voice their opinion or make a mistake, they won't be unfairly punished. If they trust the company, have job security, then they're more likely to float new ideas, share their concerns, and even offer unique solutions
Respect : Every human being is deserving of respect. This must be remembered in a corporate setting as well. Any idea, big or small, should be heard regardless of where the employee falls within the corporate hierarchy. Employees shouldn't be ridiculed or treated as “less than.” Most organizations have employees from diverse backgrounds, and all must be treated respectfully and fairly.
Inclusion : No one should be left out or excluded. All voices must be heard and treated equally. No matter the role, whether intern or manager, they must be included and heard. “Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.”
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How to Build a Psychologically Safe Workplace?
It is the job of the leaders to build a psychologically safe workplace. There are various tips and tricks they can use, as listed below:Be Open as a Leader:
A leader is the one who sets the principle for how the organization functions. An inclusive, respectful leader will have a team that models the same behavior. Leaders can ask for help, feedback, and in doing so set a precedent for the rest of the organization as well.Encourage Speaking Up:
Encourage open discussion and feedback forums. Treat questions as meaningful contributions, not rude interruptions. Have dedicated times for questions and honest opinions. Remember that curiosity fuels innovation.Allow room for error:
“To err is to be human.” It is human to make mistakes, and leaders need to realise that their employees are human, not machines. Don't harshly penalise mistakes, allow for experimentation and creativity. Don't create a blame-game culture; treat every mistake as an opportunity to take a step in the right direction.Prioritize Mental Wellbeing of Employees:
It’s important to treat employees fairly, without overworking them. Their mental health should not be compromised in order to further organisational objectives because that is unethical. Employees who are disrespected, discriminated against, or put under greater pressure usually suffer from burnout, anxiety, and depression. Their mental health is in the hands of a company to a certain level, and it is important to realize that.Maintain Transparency:
Don’t unfairly conceal information from employees. Maintain transparency about dealings and company policy. When employees trust the organisation, they feel a sense of safety. This also quells any rumours, uncertainty, and negative talk. The positive environment of the company is maintained, having a positive impact on the work as well.
Conclusion
As established, psychological safety is no longer a “nice-to-have” but the actual backbone of the company. If the team knows they can speak up and express their opinions, take risks, and not be punished for it, they'll be more willing to push the boat out. It's a strategic move offering a competitive advantage. Through small steps, huge transformations can be undertaken. In the present age, loads of companies have shifted towards a psychologically safe environment,s but there's lots more that needs to be done.
In the words of poet Robert Frost,
“But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.”About The Author: Let'z Talk
Let'z Talk is an employer branding & workplace wellbeing solutions provider that creates caring workplaces. With diverse backgrounds and a shared enthusiasm for employer branding through the lens of wellbeing, our passionate team brings together a wealth of experience and skills to meet the needs of various organisations. Our seasoned experts, workplace coaches, and mental health advisors are always eager to share their knowledge and drive thought-provoking conversations.
Let’z Talk is a people-first employer branding agency that helps organisations build cultures rooted in trust, inclusion, and emotional safety.
If you’re looking to create emotionally safe, high-performing teams, we’d love to support you.
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