The critical role of psychological safety in the workplace

8 Nov

Psychological safety, a term coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, represents a shared belief that a team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking. It is the underpinning of team confidence, encouraging members to voice their ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes without fear of reprisal.

Edmondson’s foundational paper, "Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams," published in 1999, sparked significant interest and subsequent research into this critical aspect of organizational dynamics. Teams exhibiting high psychological safety, as she discovered, are 12.5% more likely to admit to errors and engage in proactive learning behaviors.

Lack of psychological safety

A lack of psychological safety can bring many negative outcomes within an organization. High employee turnover, stress, decreased well-being, and an environment where unethical behavior may go unchecked are just a few of the implications. Moreover, it may lead to a culture of self-preservation over performance, reduced engagement, diminished collaboration, eroded trust, stifled innovation, increased aversion to risk, and a silencing of critical dialogue and debate.

Empirical evidence supporting psychological safety

The abstract notion of psychological safety finds substantial support from empirical evidence. A landmark study by Google, known as Project Aristotle, analyzed over 180 teams and reinforced the conclusions drawn from Edmondson's research. The teams characterized by a psychologically safe environment showed a notable 17% increase in performance metrics, a 19% rise in the likelihood of meeting financial targets, and a 24% boost in employee engagement. These statistics not only corroborate the theory but also illustrate the tangible benefits of fostering such a workplace culture.

Measuring and building psychological safety

To harness these benefits, organizations must first measure and then work to enhance psychological safety. An end-of-year retrospective can be an effective approach, combining quantitative KPI assessments with qualitative evaluations of the team's psychological climate. How to do it:

Review KPIs. Check each key performance indicator for relevance and alignment with long-term goals and meaningful outcomes.
Observe your team. Observations during team interactions can reveal hesitations to contribute or disparities in participation, hinting at the team's psychological safety.
Conduct surveys. Implement surveys crafted to gauge team members' comfort levels with speaking up, admitting errors, and challenging norms.
Have open dialogues. Schedule regular feedback sessions, ensuring a structured but open environment where team members can share experiences and insights without fear. Transparent communication regarding both successes and challenges further cultivates psychological safety, paving the way for continual organizational growth.

In conclusion, the journey toward cultivating psychological safety is more than an exercise in team building—it is a strategic investment in the heart of innovation and the soul of company culture. When we create spaces where risks are embraced and vulnerability is not punished, we unlock the full potential of our teams.