Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety is the “belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking,” says Amy Edmondson, author of The Fearless Organization, Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation and Growth. 

This is critical for creating workplace cultures that value safety, health and wellbeing. A safe work environment not only protects lives and livelihoods, but also provides a place where all employees can feel emotionally and mentally safe. Improving psychological safety protects our ability to speak up, share ideas and opinions, learn new skills and challenge the status quo. It also encourages employees to seek support when experiencing mental health distress. NSC research found that not only was physical safety correlated to the respondents’ history of injury, but so was their psychological safety.

According to NSC research, there is a strong relationship between psychological and physical safety. Fostering psychological safety may directly contribute to a safer physical workplace by encouraging proactive reporting of potential hazards and safety issues. Psychological safety is an important factor in ensuring worker health and safety. Encouraging workers to speak up about safety issues without fear of retaliation can foster drastically safer workplaces. Workers who feel their employer discourages reporting were 2.4 times more likely to have experienced a work injury.

Psychological safety helps reduce the stigma associated with mental health and substance use. Stigma can prevent workers from speaking up about issues related to substance use and mental health or from getting the help they need and want. Workplaces can ensure organization-wide education, awareness and understanding regarding the nature and dynamics of stigma, mental illness, safety and health. Workplaces should also review and revise organizational policies to align with inclusive language guidelines.

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