Imagine a workplace where people freely speak their minds, share bold ideas, admit mistakes, and ask for help – all without fear of ridicule or retribution. This ideal scenario is what psychological safety is all about. In this blog, we’ll explore what psychological safety means, the factors that influence it, how it links to employee engagement, and what organisations can do to maximise it. Along the way, we’ll draw on insights from occupational psychology research and real-world company examples to illustrate how fostering a safe climate can unlock higher engagement and performance.
In this post:
What Is Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety refers to an environment of interpersonal trust where people feel safe to take risks and be vulnerable in front of each other. The term was coined by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, who defined psychological safety as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”. In essence, it means team members aren’t afraid to speak up with ideas or concerns, and they know they won’t be punished or humiliated for making a mistake or asking a “silly” question.
Occupational psychology research traces the concept back even further. William Kahn, in 1990, described psychological safety as feeling able to be one’s true self at work without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status, or career. This sense of security encourages authenticity and open communication. Importantly, psychological safety isn’t about being constantly nice or avoiding conflict – it’s about candour and trust. Edmondson emphasises that it’s not a touchy-feely notion of always agreeing, but rather an environment where people can give candid feedback, admit errors, and learn from each other openly.
When psychological safety is present in a workplace, people feel “safe to take interpersonal risks” like sharing dissenting ideas or delivering bad news. For example, in a psychologically safe team at Google, members reported feeling confident that no one would embarrass or punish them for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea. It’s the absence of interpersonal fear and the presence of mutual respect and trust. In short, psychological safety means you can speak up at work with the assurance that you will not face humiliation or retaliation – a foundation that enables people and teams to perform at their best.
Why Psychological Safety Matters
Creating a psychologically safe climate is not just a “nice-to-have” – it has powerful effects on team and organisational performance. Since Edmondson’s first studies in healthcare teams, research has piled up evidence that psychological safety boosts learning, innovation, and results. In fact, it’s often cited as a critical ingredient of high-performing teams. Google’s famous “Project Aristotle” study, which examined what makes teams effective, found that psychological safety was the number one factor distinguishing the most successful teams. How the team worked together mattered more than who was on the team – and teams with higher psychological safety consistently outperformed others. Other key team dynamics (like dependability, clarity, meaning and impact of work) mattered too, but a safe team climate was the foundation for everything else.
Research by McKinsey likewise found psychological safety to be one of the strongest predictors of team performance, productivity, quality and innovation across a range of industries. In a global survey, a striking 89% of employees said psychological safety is essential in the workplace. When people feel safe, they’re more likely to contribute ideas, share information, and collaborate – leading to better decision-making and problem-solving. There’s also a clear link to fewer mistakes: Edmondson’s classic study of hospital teams revealed that the best teams weren’t making more errors, they were just more willing to report and discuss them, which helped the organisation learn and improve. In a psychologically safe culture, problems come to light earlier and can be fixed, rather than being hidden out of fear.
On the flip side, lack of psychological safety can be toxic. Employees who are afraid to speak up will withhold valuable ideas or warnings, potentially leading to missed opportunities or preventable failures. A low-safety environment tends to stifle innovation and breed disengagement. In fact, organisations that fail to foster safety often see lower levels of employee engagement, higher turnover, more stress and burnout, and even more errors, because people are anxious and hesitant. In short, psychological safety underpins a healthy workplace culture: it’s the soil in which trust, creativity and engagement grow, whereas fear is a poison that can erode morale and performance.
Factors That Impact Psychological Safety in Organisations
Psychological safety doesn’t happen by accident. Several factors in an organisation’s environment and leadership heavily influence whether employees feel safe or not:
Leadership Style and Behaviour
Leaders set the tone for psychological safety. When managers are approachable, inclusive, and humble, they invite input and model the right behaviour. Research shows that consultative and supportive leadership styles have positive effects on team safety. Consultative leaders actively ask for team members’ opinions and truly consider their views, while supportive leaders show care for individuals as people. These behaviours signal that it’s safe to voice ideas or concerns. In contrast, authoritarian or harsh leadership (e.g. publicly criticising mistakes, or dismissing feedback) will shut people down. As one HR executive put it, leaders must demonstrate transparency and openness in their actions to create a culture of psychological safety. A leader who admits their own mistakes and shows vulnerability – such as saying “I was wrong” or “I need your input” – can powerfully encourage others to speak up without fear. By “modelling vulnerability”, leaders build trust and signal that asking for help or owning up to a failure won’t lead to blame.
Organisational Culture of Trust and Respect
The broader organisational culture plays a huge role. A workplace characterised by trust, fairness, and respect will naturally feel safer than one with backbiting or blame. For instance, a culture where colleagues consistently treat each other with civility and respect – regardless of rank – helps people feel valued and comfortable contributing. On the other hand, a culture tolerating rudeness, ridicule or favoritism will breed fear. Trust and fairness are especially key: if employees trust that they’ll be treated fairly (even if they mess up) they are far more likely to take initiative or share problems. Occupational psychologists refer to high-trust, fair cultures as providing psychological support, which reduces stress and conflict. In practical terms, trust is built by doing things like following through on promises, handling sensitive issues confidentially, and ensuring that no one gets punished for honesty. When something goes wrong, a learning response (“What can we improve?”) promotes safety; a blaming response (“Who can we scapegoat?”) destroys it.
Clarity and Support in Roles
Surprisingly, even seemingly straightforward factors like clear expectations and job fit can impact psychological safety. When people know what’s expected of them and have the resources to meet those expectations, they experience less anxiety about letting others down. A study by the Mental Health Commission of Canada highlighted that effective leadership which clarifies roles and responsibilities helps staff feel more secure, whereas constant role ambiguity can make employees tense and hesitant. Likewise, ensuring a good match between employees’ skills and their job demands (sometimes called psychological job fit) prevents undue stress and boosts confidence. An employee who constantly feels overmatched by their job may fear being “exposed” and thus shy away from risks. Providing proper training, realistic workloads, and support for learning new skills creates an environment where people aren’t living in fear of failure.
Team Norms and Interpersonal Climate
The unwritten rules of how team members interact hugely affect psychological safety. Teams that explicitly encourage open dialogue and idea-sharing will see more participation. For example, some companies establish norms such as “no idea is a bad idea” during brainstorming, or have meeting rules ensuring everyone speaks. Google introduced a practice of kicking off meetings by having each person share a risk or mistake they took recently – teams that did this saw measurable improvements in psychological safety ratings. The simple norm of thanking people for speaking up also reinforces safety. At Toyota, on the factory floor, any worker can pull the “Andon cord” to stop the production line if they spot a problem – and crucially, coworkers’ first response is to thank the person for flagging the issue. That norm makes it clear that raising concerns is not just acceptable but appreciated. In contrast, if employees who voice problems are met with irritation or eye-rolling, they learn quickly to stay silent. Consistent positive reinforcement for honesty and curiosity creates a virtuous cycle: people feel safe, so they speak up more, which improves the team, which further normalises speaking up.
Inclusivity and Belonging
Feeling that you belong and are included on the team is a prerequisite for safety. If someone feels like an outsider or fears they’ll be ostracised for being different, they won’t speak freely. Inclusive practices – for example, actively soliciting input from quieter members or those from under-represented groups – can boost psychological safety by showing every voice is valued. As one framework puts it, the first stage of psychological safety is Inclusion Safety, where everyone is made to feel part of the team and accepted for who they are. Organisations can nurture this by embracing diversity and ensuring all voices are heard and respected, such as through employee resource groups or inclusive decision-making processes. When people see that differing perspectives are welcomed – not punished – they gain confidence that they won’t face negative consequences for speaking up with a unique viewpoint.
Response to Mistakes and Failures
How an organisation handles errors or failed attempts is absolutely pivotal. In a safe climate, mistakes are treated as opportunities to learn, not occasions for punishment. If employees see that admitting an error leads to productive problem-solving (and maybe even praise for bringing it up early, as in Toyota’s case), they won’t dread making a misstep. Conversely, if the reaction to a slip-up is to shame or penalise the responsible person, psychological safety evaporates – people will hide errors or shift blame to protect themselves. Many companies trying to foster innovation explicitly promote a “fail fast, learn faster” motto, signalling that experimentation is welcome. For instance, Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella encourages leaders to share their own mistakes to show that no one is infallible and that learning from errors is part of the process. Such attitudes go a long way in creating a culture where employees feel safe taking calculated risks and know they won’t be crucified for an honest mistake.
These factors often interact. For example, leadership behaviour influences team norms, and an inclusive culture supports respectful behaviour. The overarching theme is that any factor that reduces fear and builds trust will improve psychological safety. In practical terms, that means fostering support, clarity, fairness, inclusion, and learning – while minimising threats, ambiguity, bullying, or blame.
Psychological Safety and Employee Engagement
Psychological safety is closely intertwined with employee engagement – the level of commitment, enthusiasm, and involvement people feel toward their work and organisation. It’s hard to have one without the other. In fact, early occupational psychology research identified psychological safety as a precondition for engagement. William Kahn’s influential model of engagement (1990) proposed that employees are more engaged when they experience three psychological conditions: meaningfulness, availability, and safety. In other words, to truly “engage” or invest oneself in a job, you have to feel safe to do so without fear. If you’re constantly on guard, worried about being laughed at or punished, you’ll hold back your energy and ideas – which is the opposite of engagement.
Modern studies back this up. Research has shown that psychological safety is positively correlated with employee engagement. One study found that when employees feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to be emotionally and cognitively engaged in their work – meaning they’re willing to go the extra mile, share suggestions, and put forth their full effort. It makes sense: a safe environment unlocks discretionary effort. People who feel safe tend to be more confident and motivated to contribute, because they know their contributions are valued and won’t lead to negative consequences.
On a team level, psychological safety creates the conditions for open communication and strong peer support, which are hallmarks of engaged teams. Team members can discuss problems or ideas openly, leading to greater involvement and commitment. For example, when employees feel safe to propose innovative solutions or challenge the status quo, they become more engaged problem-solvers, taking ownership of issues rather than staying passive. Over time, this builds a sense of collective efficacy and pride that further fuels engagement.
Conversely, a lack of psychological safety is almost a recipe for disengagement. If workers are fearful, they tend to withdraw. Signs of disengagement – silence in meetings, lack of initiative, “doing just enough to get by” – often trace back to not feeling safe. Why speak up or put in extra effort if you suspect it might backfire on you? In unsafe climates, employees often report feeling alienated and disconnected (involvement and influence are missing), which are classic symptoms of low engagement. Moreover, chronic fear and stress (from, say, an aggressive boss or a cutthroat atmosphere) can lead to burnout and cynicism, eroding any positive connection employees feel toward the company. It’s telling that one of the 13 workplace factors affecting psychological safety identified by HR experts is Engagement itself – a cyclical relationship where safety breeds engagement, and engaged employees further reinforce a supportive climate.
To put it simply, psychological safety is the fertile ground in which engagement grows. When people feel safe, they engage more deeply; when they’re engaged, they often contribute to an even safer, more collaborative environment. This linkage has real business impact: companies that prioritise psychological safety have seen improvements not only in employee well-being but also in retention and performance metrics. Engaged employees are less likely to quit and more likely to deliver great customer service and drive innovation – outcomes that all trace back to that baseline sense of safety and trust.
How to Maximise Psychological Safety in Your Organisation
Building psychological safety is an ongoing effort that touches many aspects of how you lead and manage. HR professionals and leaders can take concrete actions to foster a safer, more engaging climate. Here are several strategies and examples of what organisations can do in practice:
Lead by Example – Model Openness and Fallibility
Psychological safety starts at the top. Leaders should set the tone by showing vulnerability and humility. Admitting your own mistakes or uncertainties sends a powerful signal that it’s okay to be human and fallible. Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, for instance, emphasizes sharing his errors and lessons learned to give others confidence to speak up. When a manager says, “I don’t have all the answers” or “I was wrong about this, what can we do differently?”, it normalises honesty. Leaders should also invite input – ask questions in meetings, genuinely listen, and thank people for their contributions (especially dissenting ones). This openness demonstrates that candour is welcome and nobody will “shoot the messenger” for bringing up a tough issue.
Create a No-Blame Culture of Learning:
Shift the mindset from blame to curiosity. When mistakes happen or targets are missed, focus on problem-solving and learning rather than finger-pointing. Some companies institute formal “post-mortems” or “lessons learned” sessions after projects, explicitly framing errors as learning opportunities. For example, Toyota’s famed Andon cord system embodies this principle: if a worker spots a flaw and stops the line, managers praise and thank that employee for identifying the issue instead of reprimanding them. This practice makes it safe and rewarded to call out problems. You can encourage managers to respond to bad news with a phrase like “Thank you for bringing this up. How can we fix it together?” – which tells employees that raising a concern is the right thing to do. Over time, a “fail-fast, learn-fast” ethos will encourage prudent risk-taking and innovation, as people know they won’t be punished for trying new things.
Encourage Team Learning and Innovation:
Finally, make learning and experimentation part of the DNA of the organisation. Whether through hackathon days, continuous improvement workshops, or agile project methods, give teams permission to try new things and sometimes fail. When employees see that experimentation is encouraged, they feel safer to voice creative ideas. Create mechanisms for knowledge sharing (lunch-and-learns, innovation labs, etc.) where employees at all levels can contribute suggestions. This not only sparks engagement but reinforces the notion that everyone’s input is valuable. Some firms even tie a portion of performance evaluations to learning behaviours (e.g. “Did you contribute an idea or improvement this quarter?”) to stress that speaking up is part of the job. The more people see their peers taking initiative and being recognised for it, the more psychological safety grows across the board.
Establish Clear Expectations and Encourage Voice:
Ensure everyone knows that speaking up is expected and valued. This can be written into team norms or company values. Google, after discovering the importance of psychological safety, developed a simple team survey tool and 10-minute “pulse check” meetings on the five team dynamics (including safety) to keep dialogue open. Some teams adopt rituals like round-robin sharing or anonymous question channels to surface input. The key is to proactively solicit opinions – don’t assume silence means agreement. In meetings, explicitly ask quieter members for their thoughts or rotate who leads discussions to flatten hierarchy. Make it a habit to acknowledge and build on ideas shared by team members, so they feel their voice matters. And crucially, when someone raises a concern or dissent, respond appreciatively rather than defensively. Even if you disagree, thank them for speaking up before offering your perspective.
Train and Empower Leaders in “People Skills”:
Not all managers intuitively know how to create psychological safety, so training can help. Leadership development programs should include skills like active listening, giving constructive feedback, and managing conflict constructively. Teach leaders about the impact of their behaviours on team climate – for instance, how interrupting or dismissing a comment can shut down future input. Encourage practices such as inclusive leadership, where managers learn to embrace diverse viewpoints and invite challenge. According to McKinsey, companies that invest in such leadership development see more inclusive and safe behaviours on their teams. Also consider workshops on topics like mental health awareness and bias reduction, as these can support a more empathetic, safe environment. Ultimately, leaders at all levels should see fostering psychological safety as a core part of their job in supporting their teams.
Reinforce Respect and Inclusion at All Times:
Make civility and respect non-negotiable norms. HR can implement or strengthen anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies and ensure there are safe channels (possibly anonymous) to report concerns. Beyond formal policy, it’s about daily interactions – encourage employees to be mindful of their language and tone. As one HR leader noted, even the choice of words and tone when giving feedback can affect psychological safety. Training in empathetic communication or intercultural awareness can help teams avoid unintentional slights. Additionally, celebrate inclusive behaviours: for example, recognise a team that actively included cross-departmental input on a project, or a manager who mentored a junior staff member to speak up. By spotlighting these positive behaviours, you signal what “good looks like” in your culture. The goal is an environment where everyone, regardless of background or rank, feels they belong and are treated with respect – the bedrock of feeling safe.
Provide Support for Well-being and Work–Life Balance:
Stress and burnout can erode psychological safety, so organisations should demonstrate genuine care for employee well-being. Ensure there are resources for mental health support, such as employee assistance programmes, and that leaders actively encourage their use (reducing stigma). When employees feel the company “has their back” in a human sense, trust grows. Also, promote reasonable workload management and work–life balance – if people are chronically overworked or exhausted, they may feel less secure and more on edge. Simple steps like encouraging people to take their full holidays, or managers respecting boundaries (not expecting replies to emails at midnight), communicate that employees are valued as people. A supportive environment where colleagues check in on each other and managers show empathy for personal challenges creates psychological safety by meeting basic human needs for security and care.
Real World Examples of Psychological Safety in Action
Many leading organisations have made psychological safety a priority – and reaped the benefits in engagement and performance. Here are a few brief examples across industries:
Google (Tech Industry): After identifying psychological safety as the top factor for team success, Google integrated this insight into management training and tools. The company introduced the “Teams” engagement survey focused on the five dynamics (psychological safety being first) and facilitated team workshops to discuss results. Google also encourages small habits to boost safety, like the practice of sharing risks taken at team meetings and having open conversations about failures. Teams that adopted these norms saw measurable upticks in safety and clarity within a few months. By building psychological safety, Google reports that teams become more effective and innovative – supporting its culture of continuous innovation.
Microsoft (Tech Industry): Under CEO Satya Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft underwent a cultural transformation toward a “growth mindset” culture, which heavily features psychological safety. Nadella has been vocal about fostering an environment where employees don’t fear punishment for asking questions or making mistakes. He urges managers to “model, coach, and care,” which includes showing humility and creating space for others to contribute. This shift from a previous more competitive, “know-it-all” culture to a collaborative “learn-it-all” culture has been credited with reviving Microsoft’s innovation and employee engagement scores. Employees at Microsoft now frequently cite the freedom to experiment and speak openly as a key motivator in their work.
Toyota (Manufacturing Industry): Toyota’s production system has long been lauded for quality and continuous improvement, and a cornerstone of that is psychological safety on the factory floor. The Andon cord system allows any worker to stop the assembly line upon noticing an issue – an act that inherently involves taking a risk to flag a problem. Toyota’s culture ensures that pulling the Andon cord is met with support: coworkers swarm in to help and thank the person who called attention to the issue. Far from being blamed, the employee is treated as performing a duty to the team. This practice, going back decades, demonstrates how psychological safety can be ingrained in processes. It empowers employees at all levels to act in the company’s best interest without hesitation. The result is high trust, fewer defects, and a shared commitment to quality – Toyota employees know their voices matter in maintaining excellence.
Healthcare Teams (Hospital Setting): Edmondson’s early research was in hospitals, and many healthcare organisations today emphasise psychological safety to improve patient safety. For example, progressive hospitals train staff in “speaking up for safety” protocols, encouraging nurses and junior staff to voice concerns if they see a potential error, even if it means questioning a senior doctor. In units that have adopted this approach, studies have found reductions in adverse incidents and a more collaborative team atmosphere. One hospital executive noted that when they explicitly told staff “no one will be punished for reporting a near-miss or questioning a procedure,” reporting of issues initially spiked (a good sign) and then overall errors went down as systemic fixes were made. This underscores that when lives are on the line, psychological safety isn’t just a nice idea – it can literally save lives by ensuring crucial information is shared in time.
These examples show that any industry – from software to manufacturing to healthcare – can benefit from psychological safety. Whether it’s boosting creativity in tech, enabling continuous improvement in production, or preventing mistakes in hospitals, the underlying principle is the same: people perform best when they feel safe and trusted.
In conclusion
Psychological safety is more than a buzzword; it’s a foundational element of a healthy, high-performing workplace. When people feel safe to be themselves and speak up, engagement skyrockets – employees become more invested, proactive, and passionate about their work. In turn, this drives innovation, quality, and retention, creating a positive cycle that benefits both individuals and the organisation. Fostering psychological safety requires intentional effort: supportive leadership, a culture of respect and learning, and practices that reinforce trust and openness.
For HR professionals and leaders, the challenge is to embed these principles into the fabric of the organisation – through training, policies, and everyday behaviours – so that psychological safety becomes “how we do things here.” It won’t happen overnight, and it’s not a one-time project. But the payoff is enormous. As we’ve seen, companies that get it right enjoy not only more engaged employees, but also tangible business results from their teams’ enhanced creativity and collaboration.
In summary, creating a psychologically safe workplace is about maximising human potential. It’s about enabling every individual to contribute their best ideas and effort without fear. In today’s rapidly changing and knowledge-driven world, no organisation can afford to have its people walking on eggshells. By investing in psychological safety, you’re investing in a culture where employees dare to engage – and that is ultimately the key to sustained performance, adaptability, and growth for your organisation.