May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the importance of mental well-being in every aspect of our lives, including the workplace. One of the most powerful ways an employer can support their team’s mental health is by fostering psychological safety.
According to research conducted by Boston Consulting Group, 12% percent of employees with the lowest levels of psychological safety said they were likely to quit within a year. However, in cases where there is a high level of psychological safety, that number drops to just 3%.
What is Psychological Safety?
Psychological safety in the workplace refers to an environment where employees feel safe to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, or offer ideas without fear of judgment or negativity. It’s about creating a culture where everyone feels respected, heard, and valued, regardless of their role or experience level.
For example, a team member might say, “I’m not sure I understand this new software. Can someone walk me through it?” Or they might say, “I told the client the wrong thing, and I’m not sure how to fix this.” In a psychologically safe environment, this openness and honesty is met with support and guidance, not criticism. That’s the kind of culture that helps people thrive.
Why It Matters for Mental Health
Given the amount of time we spend at work, there’s no denying that what happens there has an impact on overall mental health. Stress from our careers doesn’t go away when we clock out, just like stress from home doesn’t dissolve when we clock in. That’s why leaders can have a positive impact on an employee’s mental well-being by cultivating psychological safety at work.
When employees feel safe to speak up, ask questions, or make mistakes, that removes a huge source of stress in their day. Otherwise, anxiety, confusion, and frustration can build up. Over time, this can erode trust, lower morale, and even lead to burnout. On the other hand, when people feel safe to be themselves at work, they’re more engaged, confident, and resilient.
Psychological safety isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a mental health essential.
5 Steps Managers Can Take to Foster Psychological Safety
If you’re a leader or manager, you play a crucial role in setting the tone. Here are five practical steps you can take to build psychological safety on your team:
1. Model Vulnerability
As a manager, show that it’s okay to not have all the answers. Share when you’ve made mistakes or are still learning. This gives others permission to do the same.
Example: “I misunderstood what the client was asking for, too. Let’s regroup and figure out a new plan together.”
2. Invite Open Dialogue
Actively ask for input and feedback, especially from quieter team members. Make it clear that every voice matters. Understand that some people are more comfortable sharing ideas one on one or in writing, and others like to brainstorm and have a more interactive conversation. Make sure each person has an opportunity to share in a way that feels safe to them.
3. Respond with Curiosity, Not Judgment
When someone shares a concern or makes an error, avoid blame. Instead, approach the situation with curiosity and a desire to understand.
Instead of: “Why did you do that?”
Try: “What led to that decision, and what can we learn from it?”
4. Recognize Effort and Ideas
Celebrate contributions, not just outcomes. This encourages creativity and reduces the fear of failure.
Example: “That was a bold effort! Thank you for taking the risk to get us started.”
5. Make Mental Health a Regular Topic
Normalize conversations around emotional well-being. Mention available resources, encourage breaks, and promote work-life balance.
Digging a little deeper
The steps above are ideal for building overall psychological safety, but some situations require additional support. Here are other factors to keep in mind:
The role: Some positions have naturally higher stakes than others, meaning employees need more emotional support, more check-ins, and more opportunities to unpack their feelings. A position involving life-and-death decisions or where an employee’s actions can impact the health and safety of others requires a more targeted focus on supporting mental and emotional well-being.
Changing circumstances: When a company is going through major changes (new leadership, mergers, responses to the market or regulatory shifts) discomfort can increase. This is when keeping lines of communication open and offering honest reassurance when possible are essential.
Tenure: People’s needs change as they gain experience; the support they need from leadership should evolve with them, reflecting respect and appreciation for their growing expertise.
Personality type: Regardless of role, situation, or tenure, some people want more guidance and reassurance, and some people want less. It can be a balancing act to make sure all employees feel supported and have the direction they need to do their jobs right while allowing for independence. Consider using a behavioral assessment like the Omnia Development Profile or the Omnia Custom Profile to identify and address your employees’ specific motivational needs and preferences.
The right fit for the job: Being in a position that suits our personality can provide an immediate sense of psychological safety. Doing work that feels right to us from the start helps remove internal conflicts that can lead to stress and burnout.
Imagine an introvert going to networking events all day or a natural competitor doing a low-risk role behind the scenes. Trying to be what we are not is exhausting and counter to a sense of psychological safety. An Omnia Selection Profile can help ensure the job duties and the candidate’s preferences align, which contributes to a feeling of psychological safety from day one.
A Word on Accountability
Some managers might worry that if employees feel “too safe” they won’t get anything done. Remember, fear is not an effective long-term motivator. But to be clear, psychological safety doesn’t mean removing accountability. To foster this sense of safety for the whole team, each person needs to do their part. Accountability for each person contributes to the overall sense of safety for the team. After all, nobody can feel safe knowing they are always falling short of expectations, just like nobody can feel safe knowing they will always have to pick up one person’s slack. Psychological safety requires a sense of fairness.
However, accountability in a psychologically safe environment is professional and respectful, instead of emotional or personal. It involves being open about expectations, providing ongoing and informative feedback, and being available to help troubleshoot issues. Sometimes, despite the best efforts of leadership, an employee doesn’t work out and separation is needed. When communication has been ongoing and open, that separation shouldn’t be a surprise.
A Final Thought
Creating psychological safety isn’t a one-time action; it’s a culture that’s built through consistent care, openness, and trust. As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s remember that the best support often starts with something as simple as listening.
When employees feel safe to be themselves, they don’t just do better work; they feel better as people.
For more information on how to use behavioral insight to contribute to your efforts to cultivate a sense of psychological safety in your team, contact us today, or reach out to your Omnia Customer Success team member. We’re always here to help!
