What’s more important: Psychological safety or physical safety?

There’s evidence that one is just as important as the other – but one definitely does not get the same amount of attention as the other. 

According to a 2023 Oyster HR Survey, 84% of employees value psychological safety as one of the most important things in a workplace. Yet at least 40% of those in higher-level positions avoid taking risks, expressing their ideas and concerns, speaking up with questions, or admitting to mistakes because they believe it will be held against them, according to a 2023 survey by Wiley.

Have you been a part of that 40%? Maybe you’re not entirely sure?

Let’s unpack your experience with a Reflections on Psychological Safety Exercise.

Materials Needed: Pen and 2 pieces of paper.

Instructions:

1. Take out a pen and a single piece of paper.
2. Divide the paper into two sections or columns.
3. In one column, write down a time when you felt psychologically safe in the workplace.
4. In the other column, write down a time when you didn't feel psychologically safe in the workplace.
5. Once you have written down both experiences, turn the paper over or fold it so that the writing is not visible.
6. On the back of each paper, write down a theme or characteristic that contributed to feeling safe or unsafe during those experiences.
7. Now reflect on the similarities and differences between feeling psychologically safe and unsafe. 
8. For each theme or characteristic, write one way it influences your ability to be authentic at work.
   

By now you’re probably wondering if your team feels this way. You’re also probably wondering how to identify symptoms of psychological safety issues within your organization. Here is one of the biggest signs.

Look for Silence and Lack of Open Communication 

One sign that psychological safety may be lacking is a noticeable silence or hesitancy among employees to speak up, share ideas, ask questions or raise concerns. In healthcare, for example, this could manifest as nurses or other professionals showing hesitance to voice concerns about patient care protocols or safety issues during team meetings. 

Did you know? Only about 45% of people feel safe sharing opinions or thoughts in the workplace, for fear of negative outcomes, according to the 2022 Workplace Belonging Survey from Ipsos. 

A lack of engagement, silence, or hesitancy is your signal to start taking action. There are a number of ways to foster psychological safety and I shared one of my favorite solutions in another recent article. 

A lack of psychological safety not only disrupts the feedback loop and hinders innovation, it can lead to major disruptions in the workplace – including disrupting your plans for leadership continuity, as those people who have the skills necessary to step into leadership roles jump ship for organizations that provide the level of psychological safety they’re seeking. 

Want to learn two other key ways you can know if your organization faces a crisis of psychological safety, as well as actionable steps you can be making to reverse this trend? Reach out to me or visit our site for info on one of our upcoming forums for senior leaders and HR professionals!