Psychosocial Hazards and Psychological Safety

Psychosocial safety and psychological safety are two important concepts in creating a healthy workplace, but they are not the same thing. In fact frequently people overlook the former and focus on the latter

Definitions

Psychosocial safety is about managing risks to workers’ mental health and well being associated with the social and organisational environment of a workplace.

On the other hand

Psychological safety, is about fostering a climate where people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, ask questions, or admit mistakes without fearing negative consequences.

Although they are distinct, I would say that psychosocial safety is essential for psychological safety to flourish.

Psychosocial Safety

Psychosocial safety addresses the factors in the work environment that can impact mental health. These include environmental, work organisation and social elements (see the graphic below) This could include:

• dangerous workplace conditions such as excessive workloads,
• lack of control over tasks and unclear job roles,
• poor relationships with colleagues and supervisors including bullying and harassment.

Employers have a legal duty of care to employees to provide psychosocial safety which many forget. If psychosocial hazards are not deal with adequately, employees suffer from burnout, anxiety, depression as well as physical health problems. When organisations focus on getting this right psychological safety will follow.

A workplace with strong psychosocial safety takes proactive steps to reduce risks that might otherwise lead to stress or discomfort. Organisations will have strong policies around bullying and harassment and will demonstrate inclusive leadership styles They consider policies around workload, conflict resolution, job clarity, and fair treatment, all of which can make the environment more predictable, secure, and comfortable for employees.

When psychosocial safety is prioritised, employees feel more supported and secure in their roles. This foundational sense of safety allows them to feel psychologically safe enough to express themselves openly.

Psychological Safety

Psychological safety refers to the belief that one can take interpersonal risks—such as sharing concerns, admitting mistakes, or trying new ideas—without fear of being embarrassed, rejected, or penalised.

It’s a crucial part of innovation, collaboration, and engagement in the workplace, as employees are more likely to contribute ideas and communicate effectively when they feel safe.

Bottom up

Psychosocial safety underpins psychological safety because it addresses the basic environmental and interpersonal conditions needed for employees to feel relaxed and supported. When risks to mental health are well-managed, employees can trust that the organisation values their well being.

This trust is essential for psychological safety. In a workplace where employees constantly feel stressed or insecure due to unmanaged psychosocial hazards, psychological safety is difficult to achieve. People are less likely to open up, try new things, or express honest opinions if they are worried about their mental health or if the environment is hostile or overwhelming.

Disconnect

Imagine a workplace where workload demands are consistently excessive, leaders demand 24/7/365 availability, and bullying tactics are tolerated. This leads to burnout, absenteeism and ultimately retention. Even if there’s a focus on encouraging open dialogue, employees might not feel psychologically safe enough to admit when they are struggling. or they might fear losing their jobs because their bosses think they can't cope.

This is because the root cause, poor workload organisation, has not been fully addressed, suggesting that the environment is not truly supportive. When psychosocial safety is strong, psychological safety becomes more attainable because people know their mental well being is being protected .

When people feel safe from harm, they are more likely to feel free to engage, share, and innovate.

Psychosocial safety, therefore, is a key building block for fostering true psychological safety in any organisation.

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I am running a complimentary workshop on Tuesday 26th November at 13,30 CET (1 hour, not recorded.) We will also be looking at the connection to Workplace Trauma.

If you want to learn more BOOK YOUR SEAT HERE