From economic challenges to technological advancements to societal changes and unexpected disruptions, businesses must keep pace with change. Organizations that build resiliency into their culture can more readily adapt to these challenges and learn from setbacks. 

Resiliency doesn’t happen by chance. It requires an intentional, collective effort to build a workplace environment where employees feel confident expressing ideas, voicing concerns and taking risks when navigating adversity. That’s where psychological safety plays a fundamental role. 

What is psychological safety? 

Coined by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety refers to an environment where employees feel secure to express themselves without fear of embarrassment, rejection or punishment.  

Businesses often falter when employees are afraid to speak up, challenge the status quo or admit when something isn’t working. But when employees feel confident in voicing their diverse viewpoints, challenge assumptions and take risks with new ideas, it fosters the creativity and innovation that turns challenges into opportunities. 

“By empowering employees to contribute their best, foster a culture of inclusion and build a collaborative workplace, businesses that prioritize psychological safety create a foundation for innovation, adaptability and resilience in the face of change and challenges,” says Casey Heck, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Traliant.   

Psychological safety is the single most important factor in creating resilient, agile and high-performing teams. Here are compelling reasons why: 

  • When everyone’s contributions are valued, it fosters trust, an essential part of building resilience. McKinsey research finds that employees who trust their colleagues, managers and leaders are 42 times more likely to be highly resilient. 
  • Having respect for different perspectives enhances productivity and collaboration, while reducing errors. Deloitte research finds that inclusive organizations are six times more likely to be innovative and agile and commit 20% fewer mistakes.. 
  • Diversity of thought across teams increases speed to market and decision-making quality. Global consulting firm, Korn Ferry, finds that inclusive organizations are 75% faster at bringing products to market and 87% more likely to make better decisions. .  

Steps to fostering psychological safety 

Psychological safety creates a culture where every voice feels heard, valued and safe to contribute — even in the face of challenges. Follow these steps to create psychological safety at work:  

Encourage open communication 

Resilient workplaces thrive on clear and honest communication, especially during times of uncertainty. Psychological safety ensures employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, asking questions and reporting concerns without fear of judgment. Employees are more likely to surface potential risks, identify inefficiencies and propose innovative solutions when they trust their input will be valued. 

Promote learning and growth 

Resilience requires organizations to learn from setbacks and failures. In psychologically safe environments, mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities. Employees can reflect openly on what went wrong, collaborate on solutions and implement improvements, building the organization’s capacity to adapt and thrive. 

Actively seek out input and ideas  
Ideas and solutions around difficult problems can come from anywhere in an organization. Strong collaboration leads to quicker problem-solving, enabling teams to bounce back faster. When leaders and managers actively seek out input, problem solving becomes a unifier that fosters greater collaboration throughout the organization.  

Drive innovation and adaptability 

Resilience requires creative thinking. Psychological safety empowers employees to take calculated risks and experiment without fear of failure. This culture of experimentation allows organizations to adapt more quickly to changing circumstances and seize new opportunities. 

Support Inclusion and Diversity 

Creating an environment where diverse perspectives are embraced fuels adaptation. Organizations can approach challenges from multiple angles and develop well-rounded strategies for exploring innovative solutions. 

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