Creating a Safe Space at the Workplace During Times of Change

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing work environment, it's more important than ever for organizations to build a psychological safe space for their employees in the workplace. Psychological safety is the belief that one can express oneself without fear of negative consequences. Psychological safety is defined as the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes (source wikipedia). This is a critical component of a healthy work environment, and can help teams to be more productive, creative, and innovative. Lets explore why building psychological safety is important in the first place, and look at some tips for how to do it effectively during times of turbulent change

There has been a lot of research done in the area of psychological safety and more researchers believe that psychological safety results in more engaged teams that take more intelligent risks, raise concerns sooner, stay on the team longer, are more resilient to change and external threats. Whether an organisation is more risk-averse and cautious, or fast-moving and innovative, psychological safety leads to goals being achieved and creates happier, more engaged teams. Based on all the research I have done and articles I have read I am sharing 3 benefits of psychological safety that I feel is key to the success of employees and organizations

• Openness and honesty - When employees feel safe to express themselves, they are more likely to share their ideas and opinions, which can lead to better decision-making and problem-solving.

• Build trust - When employees feel safe to express themselves, they are more likely to trust their colleagues and managers. This can lead to better collaboration, communication, and teamwork.

• Promote Learning and Development - When employees feel safe to make mistakes and take risks, they are more likely to try new things and learn from their experiences. This can lead to greater innovation and creativity.

What can you do to build psychological safety

• Be transparent - During times of change, it's important to be transparent with employees about what is happening and why. This can help to build trust and reduce anxiety.

• Encourage open communication - Encourage employees to share their ideas, opinions, and concerns openly and honestly. This can help to promote collaboration and build trust.

• Be responsive - When employees raise concerns or share feedback, be responsive and take action when appropriate. This can help to build trust and promote a sense of ownership and accountability.

• Emphasize learning and development - Encourage employees to take risks and try new things, and provide opportunities for learning and development. This can help to promote innovation and creativity, and build psychological safety.

• Recognize and celebrate successes - When teams achieve success, recognize and celebrate their achievements. This can help to build morale and promote a sense of belonging and accomplishment.

In my humble opinion it is key for organization to promote collaboration, communication, trust, and innovation and to enable this building psychological safety in the workplace is the answer. During times of change, building psychological safety in the workplace is even more important than ever. By taking a few small steps in the area of being transparent, encouraging open communication, being responsive, emphasizing learning and development, and recognizing and celebrating successes, organizations can take the first step towards building a healthy and productive work environment that promotes psychological safety.

So whether you are a manager, employee or the executive leadership team in an organization (it really doesnt matter what role you play) try to take a few steps to really build a safe place at work for yourselves and your friends, colleagues or peers.

Best Regards

The Reflective Lens