> Knowledge hub > How to create psychological safety in the workplace as a managerIt has never been so important to feel psychologically safe at work. The storm of recent years has led to an excess of competing priorities and urgent demands, all of which seem to require immediate attention. The hurricane of constant and all-encompassing change is constantly swirling around us. Without the vital anchor of psychological safety, employees quickly feel like they are drowning. Managers who create an environment of psychological safety don’t just throw their people a lifebelt – they jump into the water alongside them and lend a hand themselves.
When you create a framework of psychological safety, you enable honest communication. You create a space where team members feel safe enough to speak up – to raise concerns, challenges and questions with their manager and to speak up when they feel overwhelmed or burnt out.
Conversely, an atmosphere without psychological safety, secrecy and shame is encouraged, while employees continue to report that everything is fine. Until they can no longer hide how they really feel. And who is usually left to sort out the resulting chaos? That’s right, the manager. Creating an environment where team members feel safe enough to be open can save managers and companies the enormous pain of overtime, unfinished work and the loss of valuable employees.
Psychological safety is a prerequisite for innovation. When someone feels secure in their role with their team and especially with their leader, it leads to greater risk-taking, creative thinking, stepping out of their comfort zone and sharing creative ideas. In today’s fast-paced business world, this kind of innovative thinking can be a game changer. It allows you, in the words of Brené Brown, “to dare greatly”.
Psychological safety is paramount to fostering a sense of community. We all know that isolation is a pervasive and destructive force that can be especially felt in remote or hybrid teams. People need psychological safety to support each other and stand together. Deeply rooted connections with colleagues can be a powerful stabilizing force to protect morale and cement loyalty within the team.
Best of all, psychological safety allows people to become the best version of themselves. When your team members feel safe, they can flourish – sharing their most creative ideas, speaking boldly and openly about their workload, and taking care of themselves and their teammates.
One of the most powerful levers for promoting psychological safety is to set an example. A leader is like a church clock that everyone else sets their watches by. Your people hear what you say, but more importantly, they watch what you do. And what you do as a leader is the biggest determinant of the level of psychological safety in your team.
An important aspect of this is to talk about your own struggles, frustrations, fears and failures. Talk about the experiences that have shaped you as a leader. Share how you have grown from your challenges. Let your team know what you have learned from your struggles and what you are still learning today.
Also, remember that trust is often counterintuitive; as a leader, you often have to give it to someone before you receive it from them. Use your own vulnerability as a superpower and watch it infuse every member of your team with safety, empowerment and confidence.
Another important habit to promote psychological safety in the workplace is to check in with your people regularly. Make it a priority – and mean it. Don’t just ask “How are you?”. Instead, ask “How are you really doing?”. Be willing to dive beneath the surface and talk about their emotional climate. The depth of feelings shared will likely vary from person to person – and that’s okay. Meet people where they are. Let your actions show that you care about them as a person first; that you don’t see them as a productive factor, but as people.
There are countless ways to do this outside of one-on-one meetings. For example, you can start a meeting with a slide that asks people how they are feeling – an internal weather forecast, so to speak. If people don’t like to talk, they can express how they feel by choosing an emoji. Opening the door to meaningful dialog can make all the difference in boosting psychological safety.
Wellbeing and performance at work are closely linked – and a sense of wellbeing depends on psychological safety. So, once again, it’s crucial that you model health-promoting behaviors yourself. For example, one simple way is to start meetings five minutes past the hour and end them on time to give others the opportunity to do the same.
Remember that what you do is much more important than what you preach. Don’t just tell people to take care of themselves; show them how to take care of themselves. Share a picture of yourself walking your dog or having lunch with your family in the middle of the day.
Do you remind your team members to switch off after working hours or during vacations? Do you send emails outside working hours or on days when you are free? Think of the church clock: everyone is watching how you set the tone. Your people will imitate the example you set. Make it a priority to share your personal habits to promote wellbeing and watch how it liberates your team to do the same.
Take a look at Maslow’s pyramid of needs. The goal may be self-realization – reaching the top of the pyramid – but you can’t go that way without first building up the lower levels. Psychological safety is the foundation of the entire building, enabling transformative growth, deep team connections and effective self-awareness.
If you as a manager create an environment of psychological safety, you are giving your people a great gift. This gift will manifest itself in their attitude, their sense of community, their effectiveness, their commitment to the team and their innovative spirit. The world could certainly use more psychological safety these days, and it starts with leaders like you!
