Psychological Safety at Work: Why It Matters, How to Spot It, and How to Build It

Psychological safety is what allows teams to take risks, speak up, innovate, and learn together without fear of embarrassment or punishment. Research shows that teams with psychological safety are more effective, creative, and collaborative than teams without it, because people feel comfortable contributing their best ideas and concerns.  

Here’s more on why it matters, how to create it and how to spot it on your team.  

Why Psychological Safety Matters 

Psychological safety — first defined by Harvard’s Amy Edmondson-  is one of the top predictors of high performance. 

According to Forbes, psychological safety remains the foundation of high-performing teams, even more than individual skills or tenure. New analyses show that teams with high psychological safety consistently unleash deeper collaboration, creativity, and execution excellence. Connecting this with human-centric leadership, which we've been talking about again and again at Sidekick, these practices listed by Forbes are those of human-centred leaders. 

In short: no trust, no truth; no truth, no performance. Lencioni's Trust Pyramid is another great proof point here to demonstrate the trust to results pipeline.  

How to Create Psychological Safety 

Amy Edmondson and other workplace experts offer five key practices for building psychological safety: 

1. Establish Clear Norms and Expectations Predictability breeds safety. When team members know what to expect — and that they’ll be treated fairly — they’re more likely to speak up. Be intentional about how your team works and what behaviours are encouraged. 

   
   

2. Explain Why Their Voice Matters The default for many people is silence. Override that instinct by clearly stating why you need their input. Show how their perspective affects outcomes and give specific examples of how it’s made a difference. 

   
   

3. Admit Your Own Fallibility Model vulnerability. Admit your mistakes, acknowledge what you’re still learning, and be open to feedback. Leaders who show they don’t have all the answers pave the way for others to be honest too. 

   
   

4. Actively Invite Input Don’t assume people will speak up — ask. Use open-ended questions like, “What are we missing?” or “Where do you stand on this?” Create a rhythm of contribution by proactively seeking input. 

   
   

5. Respond Productively How you respond when someone takes a risk sets the tone. If feedback is met with blame or defensiveness, safety evaporates. But if you respond with appreciation and curiosity, you reinforce that speaking up is both safe and valued. (Harvard Business School) 

How to Know If You Have Psychological Safety 

Clients have asked us, how do I know my team feels psychologically safe without waiting for our annual employee engagement survey? Some of the clear signs come down to a set of observable behaviours within your team. Ask yourself: 

1. Do people admit mistakes or missteps? In safe environments, people name mistakes — big or small — and leaders respond with curiosity, not punishment. 

   
   

2. Do people ask for help? Proactively asking for help signals trust and confidence that support is available without judgement. 

   
   

3. Do people say, “I don’t know”? If your team feels safe to ask clarifying questions and share uncertainty, you’ve created a learning-rich environment. 

Each of these behaviours is a signal of trust in the system, not just in individuals. 

The Bottom Line 

If the answer is “yes” to the questions above, that's a clear sign of psychological safety. If the answer is “no,” you’ve found your next leadership priority. 

Psychological safety is deeply connected to human-centric leadership and as leaders, we’re responsible for intentionally creating environments rooted in trust and openness — spaces where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and grow through failure.  

For more take and insights, listen to Momentum with Sidekick.