Psychological Safety In Workplace

The barriers to psychological safety are more specific than general nervousness. People stay quiet for four fairly predictable reasons, and each needs a different response.

• Looking ignorant. Stops people asking questions. Fixed by leaders asking basic questions themselves, out loud.
• Looking incompetent. Stops people admitting mistakes or asking for help. Fixed by how the last mistake was handled.
• Looking negative. Stops people raising problems with a plan. Fixed by explicitly asking what could go wrong, before committing.
• Looking disruptive. Stops people giving feedback upward. Fixed by asking for it directly and then visibly acting on some of it.

Notice that all four are about how the person expects to be perceived, not about whether they are right. That is why telling people to speak up rarely works on its own. The barrier is a prediction about other people’s reaction, and only other people’s behaviour changes it.

Safe Work Australia covers the psychosocial hazards duty. This is general information rather than legal advice.

See Sentrient’s psychological safety training course and course for managers.