In today’s diverse and dynamic work environment, the most successful teams aren’t just those with the sharpest skills, they are the teams that feel safe. But what exactly is psychological safety and why does it matter so much?

WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY?

Psychological safety is ‘a shared belief among members of the team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking’.

Timothy Clark’s model of psychological safety outlines the conditions necessary for members to feel psychologically safe within an organisational context. In a psychologically safe climate, individuals feel (1) included, (2) safe to learn, (3) safe to contribute, and (4) safe to challenge the status quo. Each stage represents a progression towards psychological safety.

• Inclusion Safety: In this stage, members feel safe to belong to the team.
• Learner Safety: In this stage, members feel safe to engage in the learning process, experiment, and make mistakes.
• Contributor Safety: In this stage, members feel safe to contribute and make a difference.
• Challenger Safety: In this stage, members feel empowered to question the status quo, challenge existing norms, and explore new possibilities.

The level of psychological safety within a team has been linked to an array of outcomes.

HIGH PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

A strong sense of psychological safety is important from both a well-being and performance perspective.

Well-being

Psychological safety, essential for team member well-being, reduces workplace stress, anxiety, and burnout associated with pressure and fear. Organisations that prioritise psychological safety demonstrate a commitment to employee health and happiness.

Engagement and Job Satisfaction

Psychological safety boosts engagement by fostering a sense of belonging and purpose, leading team members to show greater motivation and commitment in their work. Prioritising psychological safety is also beneficial for job satisfaction. It is a way to enhance comfort and safety in doing work, supporting a thriving and resilient workforce.

Performance and Success

Psychological safety isn’t just the fuel for performance, it’s the engine itself. The highest-performing teams have one thing in common: psychological safety. When members feel safe, they are more likely to participate openly and actively, which fuels innovation and enhances performance outcomes for both the team and organisation. Additionally, psychological safety enables learning behaviours. The ideal space to occupy as a team is the ‘learning zone’, characterised by high levels of psychological safety and high-performance standards.

LOW PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

The consequences of poor psychological safety are also evident. When workplace teams lack psychological safety, it can lead to increased emotional distress and hinder innovation and performance. For individuals, this often means reduced well-being, engagement, and job satisfaction. For organisations, this often means increased absenteeism and turnover, along with lower productivity and profits. These issues can put an organisation at a competitive disadvantage.

THE ROLE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND INCLUSIVITY INVENTORY (PSI)

We are entering a new era for mental health at work. Recent legislation and guidelines (ISO 45003 Psychological Health and Safety at Work) have been implemented whereby leaders are responsible for ensuring employees have a psychologically safe work environment. The Psychological Safety and Inclusivity Inventory (PSI) plays a key role in this process, offering a structured way to assess workplaces’ psychological safety climate.

The PSI measures team members’ sense of psychological safety and inclusivity within their team, easily, anonymously and confidentially. It is administered online and takes approximately 4 minutes to complete. Team members complete a short indicator about the team and provide feedback. Results are presented in an interactive dashboard, sparking discussions to facilitate a commitment to improvement.

The PSI is useful for organisations wanting to develop their teams and get ahead of the curve.

WHY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY AND INCLUSIVITY INVENTORY (PSI)?

The PSI stands out for many reasons:

• Market leading diagnostic solution that provides real-time insights into a team’s psychological safety
• Backed by globally renowned psychological research
• Confidential and anonymous measure
• Quick completion time and immediate results
• Participants receive targeted solutions addressing the team’s weakest areas of psychological safety. These solutions, grounded in neuroscience, are designed to create lasting behavioural change.

Get in Touch

Psychological safety is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have in today’s work environment. Investing in psychological safety delivers real benefits for a thriving workforce. Show your commitment today and talk to one of our experts about how you can incorporate psychological safety assessments in your organisation. Get in touch with our team here, or call 03 9040 1700 to learn more.  

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.