Psychological safety in the workplace

In a two-part series in Forbes, Prof. Karl Moore and Lainie Yallen (BCom’18) explore psychological safety in the workplace.

Psychologically safe workplaces don’t punish or humiliate workers for voicing concerns or making mistakes. But what psychological safety means in practice has always varied between workplaces, and the widespread adoption of remote work during the pandemic has redefined it. But even as workplaces have had to reinvent themselves, psychological safety hasn’t become any less important. During the pandemic, employees have shown an increased willingness to leave their jobs if they are unhappy, sometimes called “The Great Resignation.” That’s made psychological safety a priority for many corporate leaders, and one way to help is to foster a feeling of connection with other employees, the company’s mission, and the organization’s performance.

A bad boss can make for a miserable work life. Sometimes, it’s enough to drive employees to quit. That’s why leadership development is so important. People in leadership roles have an outsized impact on the psychological safety of a workplace, so it is critical for organizations to consider how leadership behaviours are incentivized. Company norms are formed when leaders demonstrate them, and the behaviours that are rewarded diffuse through an organization to become part of day-to-day working life.