Creating a culture of psychological safety: Empowering leaders for real workplace success

Picture this: your employees walk into your workplace feeling genuinely safe to share ideas, voice concerns, and admit mistakes. You’ve created a space where their contributions are not just welcomed but celebrated. This culture is the essence of psychological safety — a game changer for organisations striving for innovation and engagement. When you prioritise it, you unlock the potential of your teams, driving real success and retaining key talent.

Moore Kingston Smith Senior Learning and Development Business Partner, Julya Holden, has worked with all kinds of organisations to drive organisational cultural change. Here, she explains more about the concept of psychological safety and strategies leaders can use to foster this culture.

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety is about creating an environment where people feel free to express themselves without fear of judgment or repercussion. Think of it as a safety net that allows employees to take risks, share unconventional ideas, and learn from failures. In a psychologically safe workplace, team members are encouraged to speak up and challenge the status quo.

The benefits of psychological safety

When psychological safety is woven into the fabric of an organisation, the benefits are profound:

• Innovation and creativity – in a safe environment, people feel empowered to share fresh ideas and experiment. You’re giving them the space and freedom to innovate and come up with creative solutions.
• Team collaboration – when employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, they collaborate better. Team members are more likely to seek each other’s input, have useful discussions and come up with better outcomes.
• Employee engagement – people who feel psychologically safe are more engaged and committed to their work. They are willing to go the extra mile, knowing their voices are heard and valued.
• Informed decision-making – diverse perspectives lead to better decision-making. When everyone feels comfortable contributing, individuals become free-thinkers and more equipped to tackle complex challenges.

Five ways leaders can help foster psychological safety

Leaders are the architects of a psychologically safe culture: their actions, attitudes, and communication styles set the tone for the entire organisation. Here are five strategies that you can encourage your leaders can adopt to empower their teams.

1. Be authentic and vulnerable

Encourage leaders to openly share their own mistakes and lessons learned. Authenticity builds trust and encourages team members to do the same. When leaders show vulnerability, they showing that it’s okay to be imperfect, breaking down barriers and fostering connection.

2. Encourage honest conversations

Regular check-ins, brainstorming sessions and feedback loops all help establish open communication. Leaders should actively seek input and genuinely listen to their team members. Sometimes, all it takes is asking, “What do you think?” to spark meaningful discussions.

3. Celebrate efforts as well as outcomes

Recognition is a powerful motivator. When leaders celebrate the effort behind ideas as well as the actual results, team members feel encouraged to keep pushing boundaries. Recognising efforts can be as simple as a shout-out in a team meeting or a personal thank-you email.

4. Offer support during challenges

In tough times, a supportive leader can make all the difference. By being present and offering help to their teams, leaders reinforce the notion that it’s okay to struggle and seek assistance. This support builds resilience and fosters a sense of community within the team.

5. Embrace a learning mindset

Mistakes are powerful learning opportunities. Leaders should encourage teams to view their setbacks as stepping stones to success. By framing failures positively, leaders help diminish the fear of making mistakes, paving the way for innovation.

Transform your workplace

If you’d like support with building a more psychologically safe organisational culture, get in touch with Julya Holden, our Senior Learning and Development Business Partner. Julya can facilitate impactful learning workshops and leadership discussion groups on this transformative topic.

Further reading

Julya highly recommends The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmonson — a practical guide exploring the culture of psychological safety and how to bring it to life.