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You may have heard of psychological safety. This is an necessary element of positive team dynamics, especially when it comes to fostering a supportive, productive and progressive company culture.
Harvard Business School professor and researcher Amy C. Edmondson first coined the term in 1999. research article. In it, Edmondson defined psychological safety as “team members’ shared belief that the team is safe to take interpersonal risks.” Fundamentally, psychological safety in the workplace is about the freedom to express ideas and propose solutions without fear of negative consequences.
Ironically, the concept of psychological safety and permission to step outside the box will be quite scary for many employees. Even with permission to make mistakes, there will be some discomfort with being vulnerable. People are afraid of rejection. Perhaps they lack trust. Business leaders themselves may struggle with the future due to concerns about power dynamics or appearing to not have all the solutions. So, while psychological safety is commendable and extremely rewarding, it is actually easier said than done.
Let’s start with how to peel back the layers of psychological safety and some preconceived notions about power, trust, and productivity in your organization.
Psychological safety is simply smart business
I’m not a psychologist or interpersonal development researcher. However, I’m the President and CEO of a global organization that works with 1000’s of business owners to improve key elements of their corporations similar to operations, productivity, innovation, human resources and leadership. I can let you know firsthand that few, if any, corporations today thrive with a top-down management style that limits worker engagement and discourages fresh ideas.
Even large, well-established corporations are increasingly recognizing the value of collaboration and input – and not only from their leadership teams. Supporting mental safety across the organization implies that everyone, not only those at the top of the food chain, is empowered and encouraged to contribute insights and solutions. However, there is still enormous progress to be made.
Just according to a recent Wiley survey 53% of respondents felt safe taking risks in the workplace. As job titles have increased, comfort levels have also increased, with 93% of managers saying they feel psychologically safe in their positions. These statistics indicate many lost organizational opportunities.
2021 Accenture Study reported that corporations that focus on psychological safety profit from a 27% reduction in worker turnover, a 50% increase in productivity, and a measurably more engaged and satisfied team. So evidently psychological safety just makes good business sense.
How to promote mental safety in your company
Psychological safety in an organization doesn’t occur overnight. It takes work and a lot of intention. And transparency. And team building. And open communication. And support. It also requires a good deal of humility from business management.
At its core, psychological safety is about building and supporting an environment that encourages, values, and even rewards personal insight and creativity. While how organizations can achieve this goal is likely to be unique and dependent on many aspects, there are universal elements that are key to psychological safety.
1. Respect and professionalism. High standards of skilled conduct are the basis of psychological safety. Respectful interactions between colleagues and leadership are essential even in high-stress situations. Consider creating and documenting a skilled code of conduct for your organization and including it in your worker handbook.
2. Open communication and feedback. Encourage your team to bring up their ideas and concerns each in closed-door conversations and in group meetings. This includes their views on current operations or recent implementations. It is necessary that when considering and incorporating opposing perspectives, solutions and discussions do not develop into stuck in evaluation paralysis. Instead, if it makes sense, commit to revisiting the issues after a set time period.
3. Trust and empathy. Trust will be difficult at each the leadership and non-managerial levels, but it really starts in the recruiting process. Screen potential employees not only for hard skills and acumen, but also for their ability to collaborate, exhibit compassion, and essentially function a trusted advisor to your organization. It’s not only about you trusting them, but they trust you too – and everyone on the team trusts each other. So look for job candidates who have each great skills and a high emotional IQ.
4. Recognition and support. From a leadership perspective, it is vital to validate individual contributions, even if those ideas don’t necessarily come to fruition or produce the expected results. An easy nod of appreciation or support can encourage your team and act as a powerful catalyst for future improvement and innovation.
As you proceed your journey towards success, keep in mind that each member of your team brings enormous value to your organization. Your job as a business leader is to make sure they know it and feel psychologically safe enough to show it.