A Psychologically Safe Workplace is a Collaborative Workplace

In a business landscape that’s increasingly learning to prioritize flexibility over a pre-determined designated way of working, research on the anatomy of collaborative teams is leading to some surprising results.

Turns out it’s not enough to just incorporate talented or diverse people in the teams in order to ensure efficiency. There’s a little more to it than just that. In 2012, 13 years after Harvard business professor Amy Edmondson coined the term “psychological safety”, Google’s Aristotle Project showed it was not the diversity of people, but certain norms and behaviors that were the basis of team efficiency. Out of all the norms they highlighted, psychological safety was topmost.

Why is psychological safety important?

Psychological safety is just as important to a functional team as physical safety. According to Edmondson’s definition, psychological safety stands for "a shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking." Simply put, when psychological safety is established, people are encouraged to express themselves honestly and share their thoughts without hesitation.

According to a McKinsey report, respondents in the United States say that business leaders have a responsibility to establish a safe and respected workplace. 89% of employees believe it is an essential in the workplace.

Workplace psychological safety is especially critical for the following reasons:

Fosters creative energy

In order for ideas and creativity to flow freely, everyone on the team must feel comfortable speaking their minds. Imagine how many brilliant ideas went unnoticed because a member of the team didn't feel comfortable enough to voice their thoughts.

Boosts morale and productivity

A mentally healthy person is excited about new and unexplored opportunities. Their enthusiasm towards the job is high, keeping at bay negative attitudes and low confidence. Employees with high morale feel a sense of purpose, increasing their willingness to work, which directly affects the productivity levels.

Enhances employee satisfaction

It is much easier for employees to participate in team activities when they feel safe doing so. When working in a safe environment, people are also less prone to presenteeism or to keeping track of the minutes until they go home from work.

Promotes a diverse and welcoming working environment

It's more crucial than ever to foster a sense of belonging among all members of the team. Teams thrive in a safe workplace as it allows everyone on the team to succeed, regardless of their gender, colour, ethnicity, or political views.

How can leaders create a psychologically safe workplace?

In order to improve psychological safety in the workplace, leaders must first understand and integrate their own emotions and concerns into work. Only then they will be able to support others. They can do this through the following ways:

Through presence

Practicing mindful presence helps leaders create some space in their busyness so that they can better perceive what's happening inside and around them. This allows them to be aware of their employees’ needs and reciprocate with the right responses at the right time.

Embrace your vulnerability

Leaders who are able to share their struggles with their teams, and admit their imperfections show up as strong. Vulnerability demonstrates a willingness to improve and provides a recipe for fostering open, honest feedback. When a leader admits his or her personal shortcomings, the team and the employees are able to themselves show up more authentically.

Empathize with employees

Empathy helps leaders gain a deeper understanding of how employees experience their emotions. When we empathize, we take on the other person's emotions. It is important to practice empathy to help give people the environment they need to thrive.

Act compassionately

Compassion is emotional awareness plus rational understanding. Compassion helps us not just understand but enact, to go from words to action and to actually reach out and create a safe place.

Psychological safety is the basis of collaboration in the workplace. By helping people show up authentically to work, it helps cultivate an environment of open expression and free thinking that is the crux of collaborative work among employees.