Psychological safety

Psychological safety is a concept in the workplace, schools, and other organizations that refers to the need for people to feel safe to offer suggestions and opinions without fear of punishment, ridicule, or embarrassment. This allows people to take calculated risks, which, in turn, promote greater innovation and learning. Studies have indicated that workplaces that promote psychological safety, and the trust in others that this safety fosters, yield more motivated and productive employees. The employees at such organizations also exhibit better problem-solving abilities and innovative ideas.

Background

The human mind is equipped to deal with fears or perceived threats. When a person feels threatened, a part of the brain called the amygdala is triggered. It attempts to identify the source and nature of the threat. The amygdala then sets off a chain reaction of responses to deal with the threat.

In the early days of humankind, when people lived among dangerous animals with little protection, responding to threats generally meant either fleeing from the threat or preparing to defend oneself against it as a matter of life or death. This is known as the flight or fight reaction, and many experts believe humans still respond to threats in the same instinctive way as early humans did. To prepare the body to flee or fight, the brain initiates the release of hormones that increase blood flow to the muscles and speed up breathing while limiting the resources available to less essential body systems, such as digestion.

This reaction continues to be the body’s default response even when the threat is not real, such as while watching a horror movie. It is also often triggered in situations in which a person feels threatened in other ways, such as fearing the loss of a job or becoming the subject of the scorn and ridicule of coworkers. This is because the brain does not distinguish between real or imagined threats. If the person feels threatened, the brain triggers the reaction immediately before any thought or reason enters into the process.

In the 1960s, researchers began to study how this reaction might affect people on the job and in other situations in which working together and trusting others could be crucial to success. The concept of psychological safety gained additional interest in the 1990s as companies sought ways to be more successful in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Overview

Research into psychological safety has revealed that people who work in businesses in which they fear punishment or other repercussions from speaking freely or taking risks are negatively affected in several ways. The flight or fight reaction tends to shut down other less essential responses, so the person may be unable to think clearly or respond appropriately. When the flight or fight reaction is triggered by a threat, such as a reprimand from a boss or harsh criticism from a coworker, the individual may become too flustered to respond or may cry, become angry, or otherwise react in a way that is not fitting for the situation. In a hostile work environment, this can increase stress in the individual and in others who observe or hear about it, negatively affecting the entire team's performance.

The team is also affected by how ideas and innovations are squashed when people are afraid to speak freely and share their thoughts. When people fear being disciplined or laughed at for an idea or trying an idea that fails, they are far less likely to risk sharing new concepts, designs, or insights. They are not likely to choose to try anything that might not succeed. As a result, innovation is stifled, and the company will miss out on potential new products or ways of doing business that could be beneficial.

A psychologically safe environment is one in which people feel free to ask questions, be inquisitive, and share ideas freely. This creates a workplace where people trust and have confidence in themselves and one another. Workers are motivated to develop new ways of doing things and are more willing to listen to others’ ideas. They persist in finding solutions to problems and recover more quickly from setbacks or failures. This type of creative problem-solving and innovation-friendly thinking makes it more likely for the people and the organization they represent to succeed.

Experts say there are several ways to foster and encourage psychologically safe environments. They generally start from the top down, with those in charge of the organization demonstrating traits such as trust and respect and encouraging these characteristics in others. Those who are hypercritical in a nonproductive way—such as making fun of someone’s idea when it is suggested—must either stop this behavior or be removed from the organization. It is also important for leaders to acknowledge their mistakes, ask for feedback on their own ideas and performance, and encourage and welcome questions and suggestions from those at lower levels of the organization.

Behaviors such as interrupting and blaming are counterproductive to psychological safety; therefore, experts recommend allowing all employees to speak without interruption and welcoming all ideas, especially those that seem too outlandish initially. It is also important not to blame people when ideas fail. Instead, experts recommend a neutral approach that examines why the idea failed and how those might be addressed. For example, if a new product does not do well, the group might investigate factors such as whether the product design was incorrect or the timing of its release was less than ideal rather than simply saying the idea was a failure.

This type of open mindset that separates the work being done from the people doing it—saying the product launch failed, not the employees failed, for instance—creates a psychologically safe place where employees feel free to experiment. They can think creatively and are likely to be more productive. This benefits the organization in many ways, including improved success and innovation, greater employee satisfaction, and less turnover.

Bibliography

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