Psychological safety

 Wed 24 July 2024

How to Foster Psychological Safety That Lasts

Psychological safety is critical for new hires because it enables learning behaviors such as asking a question or seeking help. New research finds that while people typically experience high levels of psychological safety when they start a new job, that feeling tends to erode quickly—and it’s hard to get it back once it does. How can you cultivate and reinforce a climate favorable to learning on your team?

(1) Respond appreciatively when a new hire raises—or causes—an issue.

 When responding to their questions, ideas, or mistakes, show curiosity, support, and gratitude for their effort. This positive reinforcement will ensure that their psychological safety doesn’t dwindle, but rather deepens as they get acclimated to the job.

(2) Establish the need for interpersonal risk-taking to do a good job at work.

 For example, framing work as complex and uncertain clarifies the expectation that things will go wrong, and the sooner someone notices and speaks up about it, the better off everyone is. 

(3) Ask questions and listen attentively. This demonstrates appreciation for ambiguity, nuance, and uncertainty and fosters a culture of openness and learning.

This tip is adapted from “Research: New Hires’ Psychological Safety Erodes Quickly,” by Derrick P. Bransby et al.