Have you ever considered whether your workplace is psychologically safe for you and your employees? While you may encourage open discussions and promote idea-sharing, the actual sense of psychological safety experienced by individuals within your workplace may be another story.
Whether you face challenges in engaging your team members in conversations or have received negative feedback about your work culture, let’s delve into the primary factors to consider when making your workplace psychologically safe.
But before that, let’s define what we mean by psychological safety at work.
What is a psychologically safe workplace?
A psychologically safe workplace refers to an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves, take risks, share their thoughts and ideas, and raise concerns without fear of negative consequences or reprisals.
Feeling confident enough to speak up simply isn’t about how loud or quiet a person is — it’s also about the general feeling of safety at work. Will they actually be listened to? Will they be made to feel embarrassed about sharing their ideas? Will their concerns be taken seriously? In fact, research has shown that silence is more common when people are not confident enough to take interpersonal risks at work, or if they fear they’ll be shunned for speaking up.
Psychological safety is important because it creates an environment where employees feel respected, valued, and listened to, which empowers them to contribute to the business’s overall success. It gives every employee an equal opportunity to thrive, regardless of their situation or background.
What makes a workplace psychologically safe?
1. Team members feel comfortable speaking up
Embracing new ideas and perspectives is essential for driving innovation and enhancing business agility. In a psychologically safe workplace, team members feel comfortable speaking up and expressing their thoughts and opinions. They’re confident that their ideas will be given due attention and respect — without fear of being judged or humiliated — whether they have a big idea to share or simply want to offer their opinion.
This open and supportive environment encourages active participation and engagement from all team members. When individuals feel safe to share their perspectives, it leads to diverse and innovative solutions to challenges, so your business can continue to grow and evolve. A workplace where team members feel comfortable speaking up cultivates a sense of ownership and empowerment, driving the success and growth of the entire team.
2. Each employee has a platform
Some people are naturally more inclined to speak up during meetings and discussions than others, but it’s important to give everyone a chance to have the spotlight. Giving people a platform to speak (even if it’s through an anonymous employee feedback tool) is a great way of encouraging different people to get involved in conversations or share their perspectives.
With so many talented people in your workplace, it’s important to learn from each other and give everyone a chance to shine. Encouraging individuals to run their own training sessions, for example, serves as an effective means of encouraging broader engagement and the sharing of diverse skills.
If you employ talent globally, particularly in a virtual setting where it can be more challenging to be heard, it becomes even more essential to facilitate mutual learning and provide each person with a chance to showcase their abilities. You should never force people to have all eyes on them, however — simply let everyone know that the option is there.
3. Everyone plays a role in decision-making
Inclusive decision-making is a vital aspect of fostering a psychologically safe workplace. It means actively involving all team members in the decision-making process, regardless of their hierarchical position or background — this will reassure all staff members that their ideas and opinions are valid, even if they’re less experienced than some of their colleagues.
Involving multiple stakeholders in key decisions also enhances collaboration and builds trust among team members, as they feel valued and respected. By making sure that everyone’s input is considered and not dismissed, organizations can create a more inclusive and productive work environment, where individuals feel empowered and motivated to contribute their best.
4. Inclusion and diversity are priorities
Many businesses set inclusivity and diversity goals, but to truly make your work environment feel psychologically safe for everyone, this needs to be more than just a checkbox exercise. Embracing a diverse range of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences leads to enriched decision-making and problem-solving, so employees feel empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.
You should actively seek input and involvement from employees at all levels and from different backgrounds when making decisions, but you should also respect everyone’s differences from a cultural perspective too. For example, being open to learning about or celebrating different cultures in the office can make people feel more accepted, and therefore more comfortable being vocal within the workplace.
5. There’s no sense of blame
Blame culture can have a huge impact on employees feeling safe enough to try something new or ask for help. Of course, mistakes should be recognised and examined if necessary, but without failures, no business can develop and learn. You should avoid fostering a fear of failure (as this can limit innovation by prompting risk-aversion) and encourage individuals to speak up about challenges, mistakes, or concerns without fear of retribution.
As a manager or senior, you can lead by example by admitting your mistakes, taking responsibility, and using failures as learning opportunities. Some of the best changes come from trial and error, so ensure that everyone feels safe enough to take risks knowing that fingers won’t be pointed in the event something goes wrong.
When individuals feel safe to express themselves, share ideas, and learn from mistakes without fear of blame, they can thrive, innovate, and contribute to the organization’s success. Is your workplace psychologically safe? Consider these 5 factors to ensure your employees feel comfortable, valued, and respected.
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