Let’s do a thought experiment. Take a quick moment of reflection and ask yourself, “when was the last time I felt unequivocally supported at work?”. Was it recent? Today? Last week? Was it even in the last six months?
How about this: When was the last time you felt comfortable fully being yourself at work? Have you ever been able to do that? Have you ever felt uncomfortable voicing your opinions and ideas at work? If you’ve not been able to be fully yourself, you haven’t felt unequivocally supported, or you’ve found yourself holding back from sharing a different perspective or idea, then it might also be worth considering whether or not you are truly feeling psychologically safe in your place of employment.
Psychological safety is a phrase coined in 1999 by Harvard Professor, Amy C Edmondson who defines it as “an absence of interpersonal fear on teams.” This means that a psychologically safe environment is one where people operate without the anxiety that stems from the potential of toxic or distressing social interactions. But do we really need a dictionary definition of psychological safety to recognize when we feel or don’t feel psychologically safe? The reality is that it’s a feeling we know both instinctively and intimately. It affects everyone from the frontlines to the C-Suite and is a feeling exacerbated by pressures both within and outside the workplace.
We Need to Address the State of the Union.
Where are we at psychologically speaking, both within and outside our teams? The simple reality is that culturally and individually, we are all experiencing unprecedented stress, change, and yes, even duress, and we’ve been in this state for a very long time.
No matter who you are, it’s impossible to miss the seismic shifts taking place all around us. Just take a look at the continuous onslaught of headlines we've experienced in the past few years:
Whether we’re talking about the #MeToo Movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, or the growing awareness of systemic racism stemming from instances of police brutality, and a substantial increase in hate crimes, it permeates our society. Add to that, the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the subsequent loss of healthcare, the near-daily occurrences of mass shootings, the war in Ukraine, and ever-persistent economic hardships. These are just a handful of examples of issues facing our organizations, our employees, and ourselves.
Physician, Heal Thyself!
Human Resources functions as something of a triage physician of the corporate world. And not only a physician. An HR professional is also a therapist, an educator, and a general problem solver, to name but a few roles. Because of these varied responsibilities, employees understandably expect that the many problems which may bedevil their own environment, ought to be absent from HR. However, because so many roles and functions are performed by HR, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and succumb to the varying problems they’re expected to alleviate.
With up to 42% of HR teams nationwide struggling with too many responsibilities and projects, burnout and exhaustion have become widespread issues. As businesses adapt to an ever-changing environment, HR professionals increasingly find themselves playing the role of frontline change managers. HR is responsible for hiring. They’re responsible for conflict resolution. They’re responsible for health benefits, and Federal Civil Rights compliance. They also increasingly find themselves in positions of crisis leadership, responsible for responding to those safety and security concerns that are unique to the American workforce. Is it then any wonder that today’s HR professionals increasingly face the looming specter of burnout?
If HR itself is feeling burnt out and lacking psychological safety in its organizations, what hope is there for anyone else? There are of course some simple, stopgap measures that can be taken. For starters, HR professionals can take steps to identify and diminish toxicity in the workplace. HR leaders are toxin handlers. Even though they may not be engaging in problematic or toxic behaviors themselves, they’re still affected by it. Working to reduce toxicity through mindful observation and clear communication can go a long way. Studies have found that clarity in communication directly influences both conflicts in the workplace and feelings of support and psychological safety. When communication is open and clear, especially in relation to role requirements, conflict recedes, and psychological safety flourishes. When communication is not clear, the chances of conflict increase.
Building an Enduring Structure of Psychological Safety
By nurturing a positive community of effort, HR can also help to address dysfunctional communication throughout all teams within the organization, thereby diminishing the overall level of conflict in general. Creating an open environment directly affects one’s immediate surroundings and its construction is not unlike that of a house. Laying a structural foundation based on clarity in communication frees up time and energy to attend to one’s own needs and mental health concerns while helping to endure an effective and thriving community.
1. The Foundation
Such a healthy environment begins with a structural assessment of the core values of the organization; an assessment that recognizes the overriding importance of psychological safety. A good leadership team understands that psychological safety is the organizational foundation upon which the rest of the structure stands. Without that, everything else is merely lip service and the social fabric begins to fray.
Creating a strong and positive environment means privileging healthy, non-toxic communication above all else. Therefore, a psychologically safe environment is one that operates under a mutual agreement, perhaps spoken or written down, perhaps not, that codifies open dialogue and healthy conflict as our most vital and revered organizational goal. It is a covenant between colleagues, direct reports, and leadership that recognizes and encourages simple acts of honesty, empathy, and intentionality in all our projects and collaborations. This not only makes for a healthier workforce, but it also fosters creativity, enthusiasm, and from that, productivity. If we value the creative input of the members of our teams, we invest in further buy-in and willingness to shine.
2. The Structural Pillars
Atop this foundation rests two, load-bearing pillars; our core values and our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Our core values are our norms and how we engage with one another. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion ensures that everyone has a seat at the table and feels comfortable bringing their thoughts and ideas, regardless of whether they turn out to be good or bad. An inclusive organization does not depend on the thinking of one ego-centric leader or a small group of people. It welcomes the intellectual contributions of every team member while recognizing and celebrating a diverse range of backgrounds and positions.
3. The Roof
Finally, sitting atop this structure, this home, is our purpose - our true north. The purpose is the overarching goal of the organization and its contribution to the wider community; be they external stakeholders, or society itself. The purpose of an organization is its true north and as such, functions as the capstone of the other parts of the structure.
While we may sometimes fall short of our purpose, our foundation of psychological safety must always remain intact so that in trying times, we can pick ourselves up and try again. In that, its essence is simple. It holds us all accountable for creating an environment where individuals can feel safe and thrive.
A Shelter from the Storm
This is the house that Leaderology built. Having collectively spent decades operating in communities that were decidedly unsafe and often wholly dysfunctional, the Leaderology team began the company with the intention of demolishing toxic management culture and starting from scratch. This meant creating a system where all team members felt safe and comfortable enough to be their full creative, fearless, and authentic selves. It also meant sharing the blueprints with everyone else.
To become fully functional, to truly thrive, our organizations must serve as a shelter from both internal toxicity and the seemingly endless barrage of bad news and social upheaval. Just as a home keeps out a squalling thunderstorm, we can provide the type of environment where our colleagues and direct reports feel safe, despite the inclement social weather. When the outside world itself is a source of pain and duress, our communities of effort must become a place of refuge.
Is your house of HR built in such a way that psychological safety permeates through its walls? If not, maybe now is a good time for a remodel. Whatever you choose to do, know that as leaders it is your responsibility to cultivate and secure environments of psychological safety for your team. We hope you refer to the questions posed at the beginning of this blog and reflect on them often. Share them with your team. Share them with your partners. Remember the work of psychological safety must first and foremost begin with you.
You Got This. We've Got You.
