Psychological safety is defined as a work environment where employees feel safe taking risks, expressing ideas, and admitting mistakes without fear of ridicule or retribution. Every company should be concerned with psychological safety in the workplace, as a psychologically safe work culture is essential to fostering innovation, collaboration, and employee well-being. In short, businesses thrive when their employees feel valued and trust that their voices will be heard.
Continue reading to explore why creating a psychologically safe workplace matters, the barriers that can hinder it, and how you can cultivate an emotionally supportive and safe work environment for your employees.
Why psychological safety matters in the workplace
Psychological safety is deeply tied to mental health — and it’s vital for organizational success. Research highlights how important it is in the workplace. A groundbreaking study by Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychologically safe environments are the number one factor that influences team effectiveness. When people feel secure, they’re more likely to be innovative and collaborative, and they’re able to achieve far better outcomes.
Your efforts will pay off, too. Studies show that when organizations prioritize psychological safety, they see improved performance and have less interpersonal conflict. The same research also found that teams without psychological safety efforts are some of the least effective.
Promoting psychological safety at work has benefits that extend far beyond just performance metrics. You can expect promising outcomes like:
- Enhanced employee engagement and satisfaction: When employees feel secure, they’re more engaged and motivated.
- Improved mental health and well-being: A safe environment reduces stress and anxiety and fosters resilience that directly impacts mental health in the workplace.
- Higher employee retention rates: Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to stay with an organization.
- Increased creativity and innovation: Safe environments encourage employees to share unconventional, innovative ideas without fearing judgment.
Barriers to psychological safety at work
Although its importance cannot be denied, creating psychological safety in the workplace can be challenging. Recognizing potential barriers is the first step to overcoming them.
Common barriers include:
- Authoritarian leadership styles: Leaders who rely on fear and control stifle open communication. This kind of toxic leadership can hinder psychological safety in the workplace.
- Fear of judgment or retaliation: Employees might avoid speaking up if they’re afraid of negative consequences.
- Lack of trust among team members: Not having trust undermines team collaboration and transparency.
- Bias and discrimination: Unequal treatment — primarily when openly based on gender, race, or other factors — erodes inclusivity.
- Unclear communication: Ambiguous or unrealistic expectations can make some employees hesitant to contribute. Poor communication is probably more common than you think—a recent Gallup poll found that only 13% of employees “strongly agree” that leadership at their company communicates effectively. Fortunately, communication is one of the easiest things to improve across an organization with minimal effort or cost.
- Punitive cultures: Environments that penalize mistakes almost always discourage risk-taking and innovation and affect team performance.
Stages of psychological safety
There are several stages of psychological safety to be aware of. Understanding them is the key to effectively addressing issues and making positive organizational changes.
Inclusion safety
Inclusivity is a foundational stage that ensures employees feel accepted for who they are. Inclusion safety addresses the fundamental human need for belonging. It creates an environment where employees feel respected and valued, regardless of their background or identity.
Learner safety
Learner safety ensures employees have a safe space at work when they need help. It encourages them to ask questions, seek feedback, take risks, and experiment without fear of criticism. This stage allows you to focus on personal and professional growth across your team.
Contributor safety
Encourage employees to apply their skills and make meaningful contributions at this stage. Promoting autonomy and recognizing individual contributions helps build trust.
Challenger safety
The challenger safety stage is necessary for innovation and organizational growth. It enables the highest level of psychological safety at work. It helps employees question the status quo, propose bold ideas, and engage in constructive debate.
Strategies for creating psychological safety at work
Management and executive leadership play a critical role in maintaining psychological safety. You can take several of the following steps to foster a safe workplace.
Encourage open communication
Healthy communication is one of the great cornerstones of workplace safety. Employees must feel confident that their ideas, concerns, and feedback will be met with respect and honest consideration.
Start by creating clear, accessible, open platforms for dialogue. Regular 1-on-1 meetings allow dedicated time for employees to discuss their challenges and share constructive feedback without fear of being interrupted, dismissed, or punished. Anonymous surveys can further encourage participation by allowing employees to express feelings they might hesitate to bring up otherwise.
Model vulnerability and curiosity
Leadership sets the tone for openness. When leaders can admit their mistakes, share lessons they’ve learned, and be honest about where they can improve, they demonstrate that vulnerability is a strength—not a weakness. They signal that taking risks and admitting you need help is OK. Being curious is just as crucial as being vulnerable. If leaders are genuine when asking for ideas and respect different perspectives, it creates a culture that values exploration.
During team discussions, ask, “What can we do differently next time?” or “How do you think this could have worked better?” This approach encourages participation and reinforces the value of diverse viewpoints.
Establish clear norms
Unclear expectations can lead to misunderstandings and discourage employees from taking the initiative. Establishing and enforcing norms that prioritize respect, inclusivity, and collaboration will help set a foundation for creating psychological safety in the workplace. There should be clear norms around safe working environments, and management should model acceptable behavior during meetings, feedback exchanges, and collaborative tasks.
Every team member should be allowed to speak during meetings to ensure inclusivity. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities can reduce confusion and help empower employees to take ownership of their contributions. To ensure they remain part of the workplace culture, reinforce these norms through reminders, training sessions, or peer recognition programs.
Welcome new ideas
When employees feel free to think outside the box, innovation thrives. Encourage them to share ideas — even if they’re unconventional — to send the message that all contributions are valued. Leaders can foster this openness by actively seeking input, especially from quieter team members who may need that extra nudge to speak up.
When new ideas are proposed, publicly acknowledge and thank contributors, even if their suggestions aren’t immediately feasible. Recognizing creative thinking will build confidence and can motivate others to share ideas.
Normalize mistakes
Mistakes are inevitable in any industry, but how they’re handled can significantly impact organizational culture. In a psychologically safe workplace, mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning and growth — not reasons for punishment or ridicule.
Normalize the idea that mistakes are OK by reframing them as valuable lessons. Ask questions like, “What can we learn from this?” or “How can we improve moving forward?” Sharing stories of personal missteps and future successes can further demonstrate that failure is part of growth.
This approach reduces fear and encourages risk-taking, which is imperative for development and improvement.
Celebrate diversity
Diversity fuels creativity and innovation, but it will only thrive when every voice is heard and valued. Fostering psychological safety means embracing diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. This takes more than just hiring diverse work teams — it requires an environment where everyone feels included and safe enough to share individual insights.
Leaders should actively seek out and amplify underrepresented voices in their DEI initiatives. Mentorship programs can bridge gaps and ensure everyone has the support they need to succeed. Hosting cultural awareness workshops and celebrating heritage months are other ways to promote inclusion and educate on the value of diversity.
Provide support
Companies that offer safe work environments understand that investing in employee growth and well-being pays off.
Offering mentorship programs, skills training, and wellness initiatives shows you’re committed to employee well-being. Mental health benefits — including access to counseling, therapy, or stress management workshops — ensure employees feel cared for, both personally and professionally.
Ensuring a supportive workplace
Building a culture of psychological safety in the workplace helps enhance employees' mental and emotional well-being. A psychologically safe workplace lets employees thrive and will ultimately contribute to your organization’s success. However, maintaining this environment requires ongoing effort and resources.
Partnering with platforms like Talkspace can help solidify your commitment to psychological safety in your organization. With access to online therapy for employees, Talkspace helps employees address challenges, build resilience, and achieve balance.
Supportive workplace environments benefit you and your employees. When there’s a sense of security and people can express themselves, your teams will perform better, trust more, and lead with innovation. By prioritizing psychological safety at work, you can set the stage for long-term success and make a meaningful impact.
Take the first step toward fostering a culture of support and safety. Request a demo from Talkspace today and start transforming your workplace into a hub of trust, collaboration, and growth. Together, you can build a mentally healthy workplace.
Sources:
- “Google re:Work - Guides: Understand team effectiveness.” n.d. https://rework.withgoogle.com/en/guides/understanding-team-effectiveness. Accessed December 6, 2024
- Loignon, Andrew, and Stephanie Wormington. 2022. “Psychologically Safe for Some, but Not All? The Downsides of Assuming Shared Psychological Safety among Senior Leadership Teams.” https://doi.org/10.35613/ccl.2022.2048. Accessed December 6, 2024.
- Gallup, Inc. 2024. “State of the American workplace.” Gallup.Com. August 28, 2024. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/238085/state-american-workplace-report-2017.aspx. Accessed December 6, 2024.