Hello Everyone!
My name is Nida Arshad I am working as an organisational psychologist at Vision Achievement.
As a psychologist I meet a lot of clients who aren’t happy with their work environment. They always complain about their employers, their colleagues, they don’t feel safe enough to go forward and share their new ideas and provide honest opinions.
Psychological safety is defined as “The belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking” Amy Edmondson, 1999.
Psychological safety at work is extremely important. Not only is it crucial to employee happiness, well-being, and engagement, it’s also the foundation for a culture which fosters diversity, inclusion, and belonging, in addition to driving team performance.
How to create psychological safety at work:
- Promote self-awareness:
Start by building self-awareness in your team. Self-awareness also empowers you to understand your typical responses to changes or challenges.
- Promote positive and respectful communication culture:
Communication is the key to success, it is important to create a climate of honesty and openness. Provide a variety of channels and ways so people can share their honest opinions and thoughts without any fear.
- Show value and appreciation for new ideas:
Encourage and appreciate the team when you receive different new ideas. Give them a positive response. Thanking people for their contributions and showing appreciation for their insights will go a long way in establishing psychological safety.
- Reframe failure and mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth:
Speak candidly to your colleagues or staff and tell them about your bad and good experiences. Encourage them to accept failures as a growth too.
- Provide opportunities for growth and career development:
Provide equal rights and opportunities to staff and treat them equally. Avoid creating an environment of recrimination and favouritism. It can affect employee performance.
These are a few points which can help us to create psychological safety in the workplace.
If you have any more questions regards to today’s blog or my job you can email: narshad@visionachievement.uk Have a great weekend, looking forward to hearing from your all.
Take care of yourselves,
Nida Arshad
