Why Psychological Safety Should Be at the Heart of Your Engagement Strategy

3 mins
Published on May 21st, 2026By Ben Mitchell

Psychological safety at work is no longer a vague or emerging idea. Largely through the work of Amy Edmondson, it has become a well-established concept within the field of organisational behaviour. Research now consistently links psychological safety to stronger teamwork, higher engagement, and improved organisational performance. 

As a result, psychological safety is becoming increasingly important across organisations of all sizes and industries. The rise of remote and hybrid working following the COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened its importance, as increased uncertainty and reduced face-to-face interaction can make employees less likely to speak openly or take interpersonal risks (Edmondson, 2023). 

What is psychological safety? 

At first glance, psychological safety can seem like a complicated concept. However, the idea is simple: psychological safety refers to how individuals perceive potential threats or rewards when they take interpersonal risk at work (CIPD, 2024). In a psychologically safe environment, employees feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas and differing opinions, asking questions, admitting mistakes, and raising concerns without fear of negative consequences (CIPD, 2024; McKinsey & Company, 2023). McKinsey & Company (2023) further emphasises the importance of psychological safety describing its wide recognition as a basic human need that enables people to perform, contribute, and reach their full potential. 

Benefits of psychological safety 

Creating a psychologically safe workplace is an important part of an organisation’s engagement strategy due to the wide range of well-researched benefits it provides at both an individual and organisational level. 

From an individual perspective, psychological safety is associated with higher job satisfaction, greater motivation to go above and beyond, and stronger employee retention (CIPD, 2023). Each of these outcomes is closely linked to high levels of employee engagement. 

From an organisational perspective, psychological safety encourages greater information sharing, collaboration, and innovation within teams. In addition, psychologically safe environments are less likely to experience harmful behaviours such as bullying and unethical conduct (CIPD, 2023). It is clear how these outcomes can help create a more engaged, productive, and supportive workplace. 

Edmondson (2023) summarises the value of psychological safety by arguing that it goes beyond simply making employees feel comfortable; it acts as a mechanism for learning, performance, and adaptability. 

Creating a psychologically safe workplace 

Despite the benefits of a psychologically safe environment being clear, creating one can be challenging. To create a psychologically safe workplace, organisations must actively foster conditions that encourage openness, trust, and learning. The American Psychological Association (2024) outlines several actions that organisations and leaders can take to help develop a psychologically safe workplace. Organisations can: 

  • Examine the organisation for unnecessary hierarchies, chains of command or boundaries that may discourage communication, risk taking and information sharing 
  • Provide means to recognise and celebrate unique skills and talents, organisation wide 
  • Emphasise zero tolerance towards unwanted behaviours, such as discrediting or undermining the efforts of another employee  
  • Train leaders and managers on steps that develop a culture of psychological safety, including: 
    • Celebrating learning from mistakes  
    • Leading by example by showing how to raise discussion around problems and tough issues, whilst also encouraging all team members to raise issues that may be on their minds 
    • Applauding and demonstrating risk taking 
    • Recognising the unique skills and talents brought by all team members 

Importantly, Edmondson (2023) argues that psychological safety should not be treated as an end goal, but rather as a tool that enables organisations to perform more effectively. Its value lies in supporting effective teamwork, learning, and adaptability, rather than existing as a standalone objective (Edmondson, 2023). 

Summary 

Psychological safety isn’t a tick-box exercise or a one-off initiative. It’s a condition that needs to be actively created and consistently maintained – and one that sits at the very heart of a healthy engagement strategy.  

The good news is that it’s measurable. Employee engagement surveys, when designed thoughtfully, can capture how safe people feel to speak up, share ideas and raise concerns. That data gives organisations a clear starting point – identifying where psychological safety is strong, where it’s fragile, and what needs to change. 

Because ultimately, an organisation where people feel genuinely safe to be honest is one where engagement can truly thrive. And that is worth investing in. 

Contact us now to see how we can help you.

 

Sources 

American Psychological Association. (2024). Psychological safety in healthy workplaces. American Psychological Association  

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2024). Trust and psychological safety: An evidence review—Practice summary and recommendations. https://www.cipd.org/globalassets/media/knowledge/knowledge-hub/evidence-reviews/2024-pdfs/8542-psych-safety-trust-practice-summary.pdf  

Edmondson, A. C., & Bransby, D. P. (2023). Psychological safety comes of age: Observed themes in an established literature. Annual review of organizational psychology and organizational behavior, 10(1), 55-78. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-120920-055217 

McKinsey & Company. (2023). What is psychological safety? McKinsey & Company