Psychological safety at work

Why pyschological safety at work should be a priority

A lack of psychological safety at work can have serious consequences for both employees and the organization as a whole. We list some of the reasons for it to be possibly dangerous:

1. Impediment to productivity and innovation: If employees do not feel safe to share ideas or voice their concerns, it can lead to reservations and self-censorship.
2. High levels of stress and anxiety: Employees may be afraid of making mistakes or experiencing negative consequences when expressing their opinions, resulting in stress and anxiety.
3. Decreased trust and cooperation: In an unsafe environment, team members will trust each other less and be less likely to cooperate effectively.
4. Higher staff turnover: Employees who do not feel safe in their workplace are more likely to leave the organization in search of a safer environment.
5. Poor reputation and talent attraction: If it becomes known that an organization lacks psychological safety, it can cause a negative reputation, making it more difficult to attract new talent.

Research on psychological safety in the workplace

• Stronger innovativeness: 30-100% more improvement ideas, 20-40% more actual implementations(Detert & Burris, 2007, Edmondson, 1999, and Baer & Frese, 2003).
• Greater learning ability: 30-40% more error messages, 20-35% fewer critical errors and repeat errors(Edmondson, 2003 and Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006).
• Faster product development: 10-20% shorter lead times(Edmondson, 2003).
• Better team performance: 10-15% higher output(Frazier et al., 2017, Google Project Aristotle, 2012-2015).
• Greater problem-solving ability: 20-25% more useful solutions in complex situations(Baer & Frese, 2003).

In short, a lack of psychological safety at work can have a negative impact on an organization’s performance, well-being, and culture. It is therefore vital for leaders and managers to invest in creating a safe and supportive environment for all employees.

Getting started with psychological safety in the workplace

Discussing psychological safety at work begins with open communication and creating a culture in which respect and trust are central. Leaders can lead by example by showing vulnerability, valuing feedback, and fostering a culture of collaboration. It is also important to actively listen to team members’ input and ideas and encourage constructive discussions.

To examine psychological safety evidence-based within an organization, it is important to use validated measurement scales. In the Psychological Safety Scan, The Better Company measures “employee voice” in conjunction with Amy Edmondson‘s scale for “psychological safety,” developed at Harvard. We relate the outcome (or degree of social safety) to the 9 scientifically based drivers of social safety. In the analysis of the measurement, we can determine which 2 to 4 of these 9 factors have a pervasive impact on the specific organization. But also where within the organization the most gains can be made.

The insights gained are a strong basis for conducting dialogues and taking action to promote a safe environment and improve team well-being and performance.