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Psychological safety at work: four stages for thriving

As crucial as the physical well-being of employees is at the workplace, it is equally vital for companies to maintain psychological safety at work. A psychologically safe workplace fosters trust, collaboration, and innovation, paving the way for employees to thrive.

Taralika Singh
Taralika Singh

Taralika crafts compelling narratives that illuminate modern hiring practices and HR technology trends.

Psychological safety at work: four stages for thriving

According to Google’s Project Aristotle, psychological safety is the most important factor in building successful teams. Teams with high psychological safety are characterized by mutual respect and trust, leading to increased creativity and overall job satisfaction. 

But, what is psychological safety? Is it even possible or completely Utopian? Let’s dive straight into the world of psychologically safe work environments. 

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety in the workplace refers to an environment where employees feel secure enough to take risks, express their ideas, and voice concerns without fear of retribution. As the Harvard Business Review notes, “employees who feel safe are able to unleash their talents and bring their whole selves to work.” So, psychologically safe workplaces foster high-performing teams and an inclusive work culture. 

For instance, in a psychologically safe team, a junior member might confidently suggest a new approach to a project, knowing their input will be valued and considered. Similarly, an employee might feel comfortable admitting a mistake, trusting that their admission will lead to collective problem-solving rather than individual blame. 

Four stages of psychological safety

Dr. Timothy R. Clark, CEO of LeaderFactor and author of “The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety”, states that there are four stages of psychological safety. Each stage can significantly enhance the workplace environment, enabling employees to thrive:

Inclusion safety 

Inclusion safety is the foundation of psychological safety, ensuring all team members feel accepted and valued for who they are. This stage focuses on diversity, equity, and fostering a sense of belonging.

How to implement inclusion safety?

  • Encourage diversity: Promote a culture that values diversity in all forms – race, gender, age, background, and perspectives. 
  • Foster open communication: Create platforms and opportunities for all team members to voice their opinions and ideas. 
  • Lead by example: Leaders should model inclusive behavior by actively listening, showing empathy, and acknowledging everyone’s contributions. 
  • Address exclusion and discrimination: Proactively address behaviors or practices that exclude or marginalize individuals.

Learner safety

Learner safety allows employees to feel safe while engaging in the learning process. It encourages curiosity, risk-taking, and continuous improvement without the fear of negative consequences. 

How to implement learner safety?

  • Promote curiosity: Encourage a culture of curiosity where questions and queries are welcomed. 
  • Normalize mistakes: Emphasize that mistakes are part of the learning process and opportunities for growth. 
  • Provide constructive feedback: Offer feedback in a constructive manner, focusing on development rather than criticism.
  • Support development: Invest in training and development programs that help individuals enhance their skills and knowledge.

Contributor safety

Contributor safety is all about enabling employees to actively participate and contribute their skills and ideas to the team. It fosters ownership, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose. Contributor safety involves creating a culture that values and supports innovative thinking and problem-solving. 

How to implement contributor safety?

  • Empower employees: Give employees the autonomy and resources they need to perform their tasks effectively.
  • Recognize contributions: Regularly acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and achievements of team members. 
  • Provide opportunities: Create opportunities for individuals to take on new challenges and responsibilities. 
  • Encourage collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where team members can work together and leverage each other’s strengths.

Challenger safety 

Challenger safety allows team members to question the status quo, challenge assumptions, and propose new ideas without fear of reprisal. This stage is crucial for fostering innovation and continuous improvement. 

How to implement challenger safety?

  • Encourage critical thinking: Endorse a culture that values critical thinking and encourages questioning existing processes and ideas. 
  • Support innovation: Provide resources and support for experimentation and innovative projects. 
  • Create safe spaces: Establish forums/meetings where employees can freely discuss and challenge ideas without repercussions. 
  • Respond positively: Respond to challenges and new ideas with openness and a willingness to consider alternative perspectives.

Creating psychological safety in the workplace is essential for fostering a culture of trust, innovation, and high performance. The 4 stages of psychological safety are key to making employees feel valued, supported, and empowered.

How can you build psychological safety at your workplace? 

Leadership’s role

In her paper, “Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams”, Amy Edmondson stated that psychological safety is about creating a workplace where employees feel safe to take risks without fear of negative consequences. Taking this into account, leaders must encourage open dialogue and listen to team members without any bias. The encouragement is bound to automatically make the workplace psychologically safe. 

Tips for managers 

There’s a lot that goes into the proper management of teams. Constructive feedback, acknowledging team contributions, and creating inclusive environments are integral to creating psychological safety in the workplace by managers. Regular and genuine check-ins and anonymous feedback tools are effective for keeping employees cared for. 

Maintaining psychological safety 

Psychologically safe workplaces are possible. You can use several psychological safety indexes (PSIs) to survey your employees. Amy Edmondson, a pioneering leader in the industry, has The Fearless Organization Scan, specially curated to measure the psychological safety within teams in four different areas. The four areas of focus are – inclusion and diversity, attitude to risk and failure, open conversation, and willingness to help. Based on the findings, you can easily know what the psychological safety of your organization is and how you can improve it. 

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