Creating a culture of psychological safety in the workplace is an important part of creating an environment that allows employees to feel comfortable expressing ideas and concerns. It also enables employees to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and express themselves openly without fear of ridicule or punishment. A psychologically safe work environment is one where everyone feels free to speak up and be heard.
Understanding the Definition of Psychological Safety
The term “psychological safety” was coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson in her research on team dynamics. She defines it as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.” In other words, psychological safety helps create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable taking risks and speaking up without fear of being judged or punished.
Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety
Developing a culture of psychological safety in the workplace starts with understanding the concept itself. Once leadership understands what psychological safety is and why it’s important, they can then begin to implement strategies to create an environment that encourages open communication and collaboration between team members. This can be done through activities such as team building exercises, open dialogues about expectations, regular feedback sessions, goal setting workshops, and more. Additionally, leaders should focus on providing positive reinforcement for those who demonstrate risk-taking behaviour and offer support for those who are struggling with issues related to fear or insecurity.
Additionally, senior leaders should ensure that all managers are trained in how to identify behavioural indicators of anxiety or insecurity within teams so that these individuals can receive help sooner rather than later if needed. Finally, Learning & Development Professionals should ensure that all employees are receiving proper training on topics such as conflict resolution and effective communication skills so that teams can better navigate sensitive conversations when needed.
In conclusion:
Creating a culture of psychological safety in the workplace is essential for any organization wishing to foster productivity and innovation amongst its team members. It requires understanding the definition of psychological safety at its core level before implementing strategies such as team building exercises, open dialogues about expectations, regular feedback sessions etc. Additionally ensure that managers are trained in how to identify behavioural indicators whilst providing training on conflict resolution and communication skills, so teams can navigate brave (difficult) conversations effectively when needed.
With these pieces properly put into place organizations can create an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable taking risks without fear of judgement or punishment.
Justin Smith-Essex
Justin is the Group MD of Squaricle Group & one of the co-founders & Managing Director of ted Learning.
