Psychological safety refers to the level of comfort team members feel in taking smart risks and sharing opinions without fear of negative consequences.
In this article:
- What is Psychological Safety?
- Why Psychological Safety Matters
- Psychological Safety & Diversity and Inclusion
- Measure Psychological Safety
What is Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety refers to the level of comfort team members feel in taking smart risks and sharing opinions without fear of negative consequences.
In teams with strong psychological safety, members can openly express ideas and make mistakes without fear of blame. This fosters innovation and candid communication, even when opinions differ from the group.
First conceptualized by Harvard researcher Amy Edmondson in 1999, psychological safety was later identified by Google’s research as the top factor in high-performing teams. Teams with high psychological safety are more willing to take initiative, avoid groupthink, and share diverse perspectives.
Why Psychological Safety Matters
Teams that feel empowered to share differing opinions can better leverage each member's knowledge and skills. This openness leads to taking initiative, considering diverse perspectives, and fostering innovation for effective solutions.
Psychological safety is crucial for giving and receiving candid, respectful feedback. To build a feedback-centric culture, start by assessing employees' perceptions of psychological safety. This foundation encourages comfort in sharing and receiving feedback freely.
Psychological Safety & Diversity and Inclusion
Psychological safety is crucial to Diversity and Inclusion efforts. Inclusive teams foster an environment where members feel safe sharing their perspectives, even if they differ from the majority.
When teams are encouraged to voice unique viewpoints, they can fully leverage the benefits of diversity. A diverse team’s varied experiences, knowledge, and opinions can drive innovation and growth, but only when team members feel empowered to speak up and consider alternative perspectives.
Measure Psychological Safety
Quantum Workplace's Psychological Safety Best Practice survey template is a 13-question survey that measures how comfortable team members feel sharing ideas, taking risks, and expressing opinions. Learn how to launch a survey.
Unlike traditional psychological safety assessments that focus solely on the team level, this survey evaluates perceptions of psychological safety at the organizational level and the participant's team. Launch the survey across the entire organization or target specific teams.
When reviewing results, focus on the team-level data, as actions to improve psychological safety are typically most meaningful when understood and carried out at the team level.