The Importance and Cost of Psychological Safety in Businesses in Australia

Fostering psychological safety within businesses has become not just an ethical business practice but a necessity. As Australian organisations strive to build high-performing teams and create a culture of innovation, psychological safety is emerging as a cornerstone for success. But what exactly is psychological safety, and why is it important for businesses to prioritise? Moreover, what are the potential costs—both of implementing and neglecting it?

What is Psychological Safety?

Psychological safety refers to the belief that individuals can express ideas, ask questions, raise concerns, or even make mistakes without fear of retribution or humiliation. Coined by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson, the concept revolves around creating a safe environment where employees feel comfortable taking risks and sharing their thoughts openly.

In an Australian context, where diverse teams often work across sectors like finance, technology, and healthcare, psychological safety enables employees to bring their best selves to work. It promotes inclusivity, innovation, and trust, ultimately improving collaboration and performance.

The Importance of Psychological Safety

1. Encouraging Innovation: Innovation thrives when employees feel safe sharing creative ideas, even those that challenge the status quo. Psychological safety encourages teams to think outside the box without the fear of being penalised for failure. This is particularly important in sectors like technology and mining, where new solutions and continuous improvement are vital to staying competitive.
2. Enhancing Team Collaboration: Teams that operate in a psychologically safe environment tend to collaborate more effectively. Employees feel valued, leading to better communication and the ability to resolve conflicts constructively. In industries such as healthcare and education, where teamwork is essential, this can result in better outcomes.
3. Reducing Stress and Absenteeism: Psychological safety can help reduce workplace stress and mental health issues. In Australia, mental health claims have been on the rise, with workplace bullying and stress being major contributing factors. A safe workplace leads to higher job satisfaction, reducing absenteeism and employee turnover.
4. Supporting Diversity and Inclusion: A diverse workforce is a strength, but only if people from different backgrounds feel safe expressing their perspectives. Psychological safety ensures that everyone, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, or other characteristics, can contribute fully. In a multicultural country like Australia, this is especially important for fostering inclusive workplace cultures.
5. Improving Business Performance: Businesses with a psychologically safe culture tend to outperform those without one. Research shows that teams who feel safe are more engaged and productive. In an era where Australian businesses are increasingly competing on a global scale, psychological safety can be a differentiator that directly impacts the bottom line.

The Cost of Ignoring Psychological Safety

While creating a psychologically safe environment offers numerous benefits, neglecting it can result in significant costs to Australian businesses.

1. High Employee Turnover: A toxic work environment where employees don’t feel safe can lead to higher staff turnover. Replacing employees is expensive—some estimates suggest that the cost of replacing an employee can be as much as 150% of their salary, once recruitment, training, and lost productivity are taken into account.
2. Mental Health Costs: Mental health issues, often exacerbated by a lack of psychological safety, are one of the largest causes of absenteeism in Australia. According to Safe Work Australia, mental health conditions result in an average of 15 weeks of leave, with compensation claims costing businesses significantly.
3. Stifled Innovation: In the absence of psychological safety, employees may hesitate to share ideas or flag potential issues. This leads to missed opportunities, inefficiencies, and in some cases, costly mistakes that could have been avoided. Innovation is a key driver of economic growth in Australia, and businesses that fail to nurture it risk falling behind.
4. Legal and Compliance Risks: With stricter workplace health and safety regulations in Australia, businesses that fail to address psychological safety may face legal repercussions. Beyond financial penalties, these risks can damage a company’s reputation and make it harder to attract and retain talent.

The Investment in Psychological Safety

The cost of implementing psychological safety initiatives is far outweighed by the benefits they bring. Some key investments include:

1. Psychological Safety Assessments – Utilsing the PSI indicator through Testgrid allows you to asse your organisations psychological safety, gather data and delop strategies to make sure you employees feel safe and heard.
2. Training and Education: Many businesses in Australia are investing in leadership training programmes to help managers foster psychological safety within teams. This often involves workshops, ongoing development, and coaching aimed at promoting active listening, empathy, and open communication.
3. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs): Providing employees with access to mental health resources, counselling services, and well-being initiatives is becoming standard practice across Australian businesses. These programmes show employees that their mental health is valued and that support is available.
4. Cultural Transformation: For psychological safety to become embedded, businesses often need to undergo a cultural transformation. This may involve revising policies, reinforcing values of respect and openness, and engaging employees at all levels to contribute to the desired change.

What is the PSI Indicator?

The PSI measures team members sense of Psychological Safety and Inclusivity within their team in a confidential and anonymous way. The data uploads to an interactive dashboard for use by
team members and leaders to track progress. This can be done at a frequency right for the team, e.g. quarterly. PSI is a market-leading diagnostic that provides real-time insights into a team’s
psychological safety profile. Results enable teams to foster a more inclusive and diverse workforce and empower them to enact pragmatic and timely change

Elevating Psychological Safety with the PSI Indicator
The importance of psychological safety in Australian businesses cannot be overstated. From enhancing innovation to reducing mental health risks and improving retention, it has a direct and measurable impact on performance. While the costs of neglecting psychological safety can be substantial, organisations that invest in fostering a supportive environment will see long-term benefits.

To help businesses address this critical issue, Testgrid offers the PSI Indicator, a market-leading diagnostic tool designed to measure team members’ sense of psychological safety and inclusivity. The PSI Indicator provides real-time insights through an interactive dashboard, enabling teams to benchmark their psychological safety, identify risk factors, and foster an environment where employees feel empowered to contribute fully.

By implementing the PSI Indicator, organisations can stay ahead of the curve, ensuring compliance with new legislation such as ISO 45003, while promoting a culture that supports mental health and well-being. The PSI Indicator is quick and easy to administer, providing valuable feedback that enables actionable change, reduces turnover, and improves overall productivity.

If your organisation is committed to fostering a psychologically safe environment and reaping the rewards of a more engaged, innovative, and productive workforce, the PSI Indicator is an essential tool. Contact Testgrid today to learn more about how we can help you create a workplace where psychological safety thrives

If you want to talk to one of our experts about utilising the PSI indicator in your leadership development plan, get in touch with our team here, or view the assessment brochure to learn more to learn more.