Psychological Safety in the Workplace

I have recently written a quick blog on my thoughts around culture and what it looks and feels like in a work context. But to take it a step further what is your workplace culture around psychological safety?

Psychological safety for all employees is about feeling safe and secure in the knowledge that they can work and contribute to the team efforts without any fear of negative consequences. This means clearly that the workforce allows for making mistakes, asking questions, raising concerns and learning together without fear of repercussions and punitive management styles.

Workplaces that promote psychologically safe work spaces allow their employees to be themselves, to turn up and bring their innovation, allow for error margins and risk taking is encouraged all whilst respecting diversity. It is also about ensuring that the employee has the required supports in place as well as ensuring that we protect the psychological wellbeing of our employees.

Psychological safety is well known for being a key driver for high performing teams where interpersonal trust and mutual respect are a necessity for success. Begin by listening to your employees and letting them know their opinion counts, seek to understand from their position and viewpoint. Ask yourself do you need to listen some more and do you really understand?

Building trust and respect is key to receiving great results as your team will be committed when you seek to understand with no emphasis on blame or misgivings, you can build a culture of open and honest relationships. When we seek to understand before being understood everyone feels validated and it shows great emotional intelligence in leadership.

This is not about ignoring incompetence or not dealing with behaviours that disturb the team spirit and values. It is about having clear boundaries and clear communication on expectations and standards. It is about each employee calling each other out on behaviour that is not acceptable without shame. It is about inclusiveness and a shared working partnership and vision where all employees are equal and have an equal say.

People have found when they work in psychologically safe work places they tend to stay and play longer, they are driven by the desire to work in a high performing team. There is little negativity expressed towards the management team and the wins are celebrated together.

What kind of team do you work in? If you are not already leading, managing or working in a highly effective team where psychologically safety is paramount, do you know what is missing?

If you want to find out more on psychological safety in the workplace, book in for a consultation call.

Helping you to step through change

Denise