Psychological Safety in the Workplace Will Be the Focus in 2021
Tags: Workplace Discrimination, Equity, Psychological Safety

We are currently witnessing countless companies evolving their workplace experience and expectations of its employees. In the last 12 months, we’ve seen a thoughtful progression from executive leadership; a deeper sense of accountability. What once was a culture of unspoken rules and employees feeling the pull to “leave their personal lives at the door” is now a landscape rooted in the pursuit of equity and inclusion at work.

Regardless of if the evolution was prompted by a sincere commitment for change or the fear of “being canceled,” companies are redefining workplace culture, and it’s going deeper than free hoodies and lunch buffets. Some employers encourage staff members with rhetoric telling them to “bring their whole self to work.” Other workplaces are establishing employee resource groups and diversity boards for continued council.

The most in-tune leaders are coming to conclude: you can supply all of the beer-on-tap and unlimited time off you want, but if an employee’s psyche feels threatened, you have significantly diminished their chance at reaching their greatest potential. And when an employee is set up to fail, each of their team members and the company itself experiences shortcomings and irreparable loss.

As we strategize for 2021 and finalize budgets and plans, it will be imperative for us to include psychological safety planning.

What is Psychological Safety?

To establish psychological safety in the workplace, we must first establish what it is. Harvard professor Amy Edminson offers, “psychological safety is a belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.” To expound upon recent rhetoric, it’s allowing someone to “bring their whole self to work,” including but not limited to their style, core values, ideologies, and ideas for the business.

It’s fair to assume that we’ve experienced some form of a threat at work. It can come in the form of something more brow-raising, but it can also be seemingly benign by most standards. For instance, most of us have been the intern or entry-level employee sitting in a meeting and biting our tongues on a new idea or thought rebuttal. We clench our teeth and swallow our words back down because we haven’t been empowered at work to speak up or allow ourselves to be seen. Some of us have seen employees “move on to new opportunities” shortly after speaking up in important meetings. It’s a sense of “othering” that begins to fester and only grows when a workplace condemns its employees or moves in herds of cliques and status stars.

Related: The Harmful Myth About “Failing Up”

The Advantages of Prioritizing Psychological Safety at Work

Like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, psychological and safety needs are at the most basic level of existence. They allow for a strong foundation and build blocks toward a feeling of belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

Google recently developed a similar chart, detailing their perceived list of the five key dynamics that make great teams successful: psychological safety, dependability, structure and clarity, meaning, and impact.

I think we’re beginning to see a pattern…

As the Friday app would report based on the Project Artisole and Google case study, psychological safety is the basis of what makes companies successful and chart-toppers of “best of” lists. It has been proven to show a positive uptick in employee retention and said employees are more like to harness the power of diverse ideas from their teammates. In addition to a more collaborative setting, revenue per employee increases as managers report employees are at least twice as effective.

Edmonson says leaders can measure employees’ safety by asking the following questions to their team and seeing how strongly they agree or disagree.

If you make a mistake on this team, it is often held against you. Members of this team can bring up problems and tough issues. People on this team sometimes reject others for being different. It is safe to take a risk on this team. It is difficult to ask other members of this team for help. No one on this team would deliberately act in a way that undermines my efforts. Working with members of this team, my unique skills and talents are valued and utilized.

How to Foster Psychological Safety at Work

To foster psychological safety at work, you must cultivate and foster an environment rooted in servant leadership and mutual respect.

Lead by example: It’s a timeless piece of advice because it will always be true; leaders demonstrate success through consistent actions. Be intentional with your actions and words, and ensure you are encouraging all team members, regardless of their tenure or status, to speak-up and show-up.

Engage and actively listen: Go beyond status updates and project milestones in your 1:1 meetings. Give and encourage space for natural dialogue and upward feedback. Ask for their fresh perspective on current problems and areas of opportunity for the company and team.

Do not reward poor behavior or incompetence: It’s time to banish the threat of losing to those who succeed by “failing up.” Reward performance based on merit, not popularity. After all, you shouldn’t feel the pressure to be best friends with your boss in order to succeed at work.

Continue to coach and sponsor your team: One of the most incredible methods to build trust and faith in leadership is fostering transparency and coaching your team members to the next level in their career.

If you want to look ahead and build a workplace culture of more substance, focus on what will sustain and hold the workforce long after the Zoom parties and free swag are gone.