Psychological Safety in the Workplace – Why It Matters
If you’ve ever sat in a meeting and noticed that the same two or three people do all the talking while everyone else stays quiet, you’ve probably witnessed a lack of psychological safety. Silence doesn’t always mean agreement. More often, it means people don’t feel safe to speak up. And in workplaces across New Zealand, that silence is costing businesses more than they realise.
What is Psychological Safety?
At its core, psychological safety (PS) is the belief that you won’t be punished, embarrassed, or ignored for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or even mistakes. The term was popularised by Harvard researcher Amy Edmondson, whose work has shown that teams perform better, innovate more, and adapt faster when people feel safe to contribute openly.
It’s important to clear up a common misconception: psychological safety does not mean lowering standards or avoiding tough conversations. It’s not about “being nice” all the time. In fact, PS allows for more honesty, accountability, and productive disagreement because people trust that what they say will be taken seriously.
In simple terms: it’s about creating a climate where people feel respected, valued, and safe enough to bring their full selves to work.
Why Psychological Safety Matters in New Zealand Workplaces
In Aotearoa New Zealand, PS is more than just good practice—it has a legal dimension. The Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) requires employers to look after both the physical and mental wellbeing of their employees. If your people don’t feel safe to raise concerns, admit mistakes, or ask for help, that can directly affect their mental health and wellbeing—and place you at risk of not meeting your obligations.
But even beyond compliance, the business case is compelling:
Performance: Google’s well-known Project Aristotle studied over 180 teams and found that psychological safety was the single biggest predictor of high performance. Not resources, not workload, not technical expertise—just whether people felt safe to speak up.
Innovation: In industries facing disruption or rapid change (which, let’s face it, is most industries now), innovation comes from fresh ideas. If people don’t feel safe sharing those ideas, you’re limiting your organisation’s potential.
Retention: Research here in New Zealand (Umbrella Wellbeing Report, 2024) shows that employees in low-PS workplaces are 5.8 times more likely to plan to leave within six months. Given the cost of turnover, this alone makes PS a leadership priority.
Wellbeing: Low PS is linked with increased bullying, presenteeism (being at work but not really functioning), and stress—all of which sap productivity and morale.
In other words: when psychological safety is missing, the costs show up in performance, innovation, retention, and wellbeing. When it’s present, workplaces thrive.
How Do You Know if Your Workplace is Psychologically Safe?
Here’s the tricky part: leaders often believe their workplace is safe, but that doesn’t always match what employees experience. If staff feel unsafe, they’re unlikely to tell you outright. So how do you know?
Some indicators of high psychological safety include:
- People openly admit mistakes or ask for help.
- Questions and concerns are raised without hesitation.
- Healthy debate is encouraged and ideas are challenged respectfully.
- Leaders respond with curiosity, not defensiveness.
- Meetings include diverse voices—not just the loudest few.
On the flip side, if you notice silence, quick nods of agreement, or a lack of new ideas being shared, it may not mean harmony. It could be a sign that people are holding back.
That’s why I’ve created the Safety Pulse Check—a free, anonymous 10-question assessment tool. It gives leaders real insights into how their people feel, beyond assumptions. (If you’d like to request a copy, click here to contact me.)
Psychological Safety Looks Different for Everyone
One of the challenges is that PS doesn’t look the same to everyone. For one person, it might mean being able to ask a “silly” question in a meeting. For another, it’s knowing they won’t be blamed if a project goes off track. For someone else, it’s about being able to disagree with a manager respectfully, or to show up authentically at work without judgement.
That’s why it’s so important to ask—not assume. Leaders can’t declare that a workplace is psychologically safe; it has to be experienced by employees every day.
Practical Ways Leaders Can Build Psychological Safety
The good news is that PS isn’t some abstract concept. It’s built through everyday actions, repeated consistently. Here are some practical ways leaders in New Zealand can build it:
1. Model Vulnerability
Admit when you don’t have all the answers. Share your mistakes. Say “I don’t know” and ask for input. When leaders model openness, they give permission for others to do the same.
2. Ask Better Questions
Instead of “Any questions?” (which usually gets silence), try:
“What risks haven’t we considered yet?”
“What could make this idea even better?”
“What are we missing here?”
These invite curiosity, not compliance.
3. Create Multiple Channels for Input
Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in a group. Use anonymous surveys, suggestion boxes, or digital tools like Mentimeter to give people other ways to share.
4. Respond with Curiosity, Not Judgement
If someone raises a concern, your first words matter. Thank them. Ask questions. Even if you disagree, show that you value the contribution. This builds trust that speaking up is safe.
5. Follow Through
Nothing erodes PS faster than inaction. If someone raises an issue, acknowledge it and act on it—or at least explain why you can’t. Closing the loop is critical.
6. Normalise Healthy Conflict
Conflict isn’t the enemy—unhealthy conflict is. Encourage respectful debate of ideas, not people. Remind your team that disagreement is how better solutions are found.
7. Invest in Communication Skills
At the heart of PS is communication. Equip your team with the skills to adapt to different communication styles, speak up assertively, and handle tough conversations with respect. This is where structured training makes a difference.
The Link to Peace Under Pressure
Psychological safety doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of consistent behaviours, skills, and systems that make it safe for people to bring their whole selves to work.
That’s exactly what my Peace Under Pressure programmes are designed to do. Through practical workshops like Communicate with Confidence, I help teams build the everyday communication skills that underpin PS—so they can work together more positively, and perform more effectively.
Whether it’s learning to adapt to different communication styles, speaking up assertively, or approaching difficult conversations with skill and respect, these skills translate directly into a more peaceful, productive workplace.
Final Thoughts
Psychological safety might sound like a “soft” concept, but it has very real, measurable impacts on performance, wellbeing, and retention. For New Zealand workplaces, it’s not just about compliance with the law—it’s about unlocking the potential of your people.
If your workplace isn’t as safe as you think, the signs may already be there: silence in meetings, high turnover, stress, or lack of innovation. But the good news is, it can be built—through intentional leadership and consistent practice.
So ask yourself: Do my people feel safe to speak up?
If you’re not sure, the first step is to find out. Start with the Safety Pulse Check, and from there, let’s explore how we can build the kind of workplace where people don’t just survive under pressure—they thrive.
