5 Steps to Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace

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What if the key to your team’s success isn’t about perfecting skills but about creating an environment where people feel safe to be themselves? Psychological safety isn’t just a trendy leadership buzzword—it’s the foundation of trust, creativity, and team success.

What is a psychologically safe workplace?

According to the Canadian Standards Association, it’s a workplace that promotes employees’ psychological well-being and actively works to prevent harm to workers’ psychological health in negligent, reckless, or intentional ways.

But a psychologically safe space doesn’t mean everything is perfect all the time. It’s not free from conflict, nor is it a place where everyone feels 100% happy. Instead, it’s a space where life is imperfect, and yet people are ready to handle those imperfections with mutual respect and understanding.

Why do we need psychologically safe workplaces?

Psychologically safe teams are successful teams—they’re the most productive, the most innovative, and frankly, the most fun. Don’t just take my word for it; Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the key factor in building high-performing teams.

SHiNE’s “I” Stands for Integrity and Trust

Psychological safety starts with leaders who act with integrity and inspire trust. It’s a cornerstone of authentic leadership, and without it, creating a thriving, collaborative workplace culture is near impossible. By fostering spaces where team members feel safe to express ideas and challenges without fear of reprisal, you’re embodying the values of SHiNE: leading with inspiration, building trust, and aligning your leadership with clear values.

Where do you start as a leader?

It all begins by embedding psychological safety into the values of your organization:

• Respectful Discourse: Encourage open, respectful communication among team members.
• A Culture of Learning: Approach unknown challenges with curiosity and promote growth.
• Giving and Receiving Feedback: Teach that feedback is a gift, not a personal attack.

Practical Steps to Start:

1. Have clear HR policies—ensure they’re accessible and reflect your organization’s culture.
2. Create feedback loops—train employees on how to give and receive feedback effectively.
3. Offer spaces for open discussions—allow team members to raise ideas and issues freely.If someone has an idea, you want to hear it. Maybe they need to do it quietly, at first. So, multiple channels can be helpful.
4. Encourage activities that are specific to values, not just the work being done.If you want the people in your organization to behave in a certain way, you should allow the opportunity to explore what that means…and not submit an assignment about it.
5. Lead by example. Be willing to be wrong and move forward with grace. Show your team that you work on these concepts as much as they do. Learning is forever.

Additional Resources for Your Reading Pleasure:

​https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html​

​https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/health-safety/reports/psychological-health.html​

​https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/esdc-edsc/documents/services/health-safety/reports/Psychological_Health_in_the_Workplace.eng.pdf​

​https://hbr.org/2023/02/what-is-psychological-safety?utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=intlcontent_leadership&utm_term=Non-Brand&tpcc=intlcontent_leadership&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx9j0t97PiAMVTTUIBR1kHxn8EAMYASAAEgL55_D_BwE​

​https://your.yale.edu/ct-scene-feedback-gift-keeps-giving#:~:text=Feedback%20really%20is%20a%20gift,from%20their%20perspective%20and%20experience.

Bottom Line:

As leaders, we must lead by example, showing that vulnerability and learning from mistakes are not signs of weakness, but essential aspects of leadership. Creating psychologically safe environments starts with leaders who hold themselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity.

Till next week. And keep SHiNEing.

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PS. Mark your calendars. And join me on the first ever virtual course on authenic leaders tailored to healthcare, government and not for profit, starting October 22, 2024.

This 9-week immersive course will guide you through every element of the SHiNE framework—starting with standards and service mindset and ending with entrepreneurial spirit and empowerment. Discover how to integrate heart-centered leadership, build trust with your team, and drive impactful results. Sign up to be on the waitlist and begin your journey toward becoming an authentic leader.

Email: SHiNE_Workbook@shaw.ca
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