Why Psychological Safety is Critical for Employee Engagement

In this episode of Your DEI Minute™, host Jamey Applegate discusses the critical topic of psychological safety in the workplace. Psychological safety is the belief that one won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up, asking questions, or making mistakes. Jamey emphasizes that this concept is foundational for creating an organizational culture where employees feel secure and valued. When psychological safety is present, it can dramatically enhance innovation, productivity, and employee engagement.

Jamey also covers what it feels like to be in a psychologically safe environment, highlighting the significance of support from team members, valuing integrity and honesty, and treating everyone fairly. To foster such an environment, Jamey outlines ten specific actions that leaders and team members can implement. These range from knowing and correctly pronouncing team members' names to developing formal structures for feedback and conflict resolution. The episode concludes with a reminder that building a culture of psychological safety is an ongoing process filled with learning opportunities.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Definition of Psychological Safety

• Importance of Psychological Safety in Organizational Culture

• Impact of Psychological Safety on Innovation, Productivity, and Employee Engagement

• Feelings Associated with Psychological Safety

• Ten Actions to Build Psychological Safety