Did you know that 1 in 10 people experiences discrimination in the workplace and that a quarter of employees have experienced bullying? Psychological safety at work is essential for a healthy work environment where employees feel valued, respected and supported. A safe work environment is not only good for employee well-being, but it also increases productivity, reduces absenteeism and increases talent retention. In this article, we share five tips for promoting psychological safety at work.
When employees do not feel safe and cannot be themselves at work, it brings major consequences. Consider the following aspects.
Plenty of reasons to get started creating and promoting psychological safety at work. But how do you do it? Here are five handy tips.
Establishing clear policies and procedures around bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace is an important first step. Make sure these policies are accessible to everyone and that employees understand them. It is also important that the policies are enforced and that appropriate action is taken if a violation occurs. It’s no surprise that clarity about policies helps: internal communication is one of the 15 determining factors from the Employee Happiness Model.
Training on respectful communication and manners is essential to promoting a safe work environment. Make sure all employees and supervisors receive this training. Managers are an essential part of creating a safe atmosphere. They are role models and must be able to quickly identify when things are not going well with someone on the team. Therefore, it is especially important to include them in this type of training. It can also be helpful to provide training on recognizing and dealing with discrimination, bullying and harassment at work.
An open culture is crucial to promoting psychological safety at work. Employers must ensure that employees feel safe to share their ideas and opinions without fear of negative consequences. Make sure there is ample opportunity for feedback and communication between managers and employees. Encouraging team-building activities, feedback and social events can also help create a positive work environment.
Do you regularly have a good conversation with your employees and/or team about how they are doing? And do you also discuss the heavier topics such as bullying at work? In order to properly monitor the atmosphere in the team, you can use short-cycle measurements. With the 2DAYSMOOD tool, you take stock quickly, easily and in a fun way of how employees are feeling. Do you see a lot of stress in the team? Then start the conversation and ask where this stress comes from. There may be more to it than meets the eye.
It is critical that employers take complaints of bullying, harassment or discrimination seriously and respond quickly and effectively. Make sure employees know who to contact if they have a complaint. It is also important to ensure that complaints are kept confidential and that those who make a complaint are protected from retaliation.
Promoting psychological safety at work is essential to employee well-being and creating a healthy work environment. By incorporating the tips above, employers can promote a safe work environment where employees feel valued, respected and supported. Remember, psychological safety at work is an ongoing process and employers must continually work to ensure that it is maintained and further improved.
It is important to remember that psychological safety at work is not just the responsibility of employers, but rather of employees themselves. Employees must be aware of their behavior and words and ensure that they contribute to a safe and respectful work environment. By working together toward this goal, employers and employees together can contribute to a positive and safe work culture.
Finally, it is important to realize that psychological safety at work affects not only individual employees, but also the organization as a whole. A safe and healthy work environment can lead to higher productivity, less absenteeism and higher employee engagement. By creating a psychologically safe work environment, employers can ensure that their organization thrives and grows and employees experience greater job happiness.
In this blog, we have shared five tips for creating a safe work environment. It is important to remember that these tips are just the beginning. Promoting psychological safety in the workplace is an ongoing process that requires employers and employees to work together and continue to strive for a healthy and respectful work culture.