Workplaces thrive when employees feel safe to speak up. Yet in many organizations, unspoken fears hold people back. These include a fear of looking incompetent, fear of judgment, fear of consequences for challenging the status quo. When employees stay silent, teams lose innovation and businesses stagnate.
The 3 biggest challenges for HR? Getting buy-in from leadership, providing managers with the right tools, and making safety part of how the business operates.
This guide provides a structured approach to building psychological safety at work. You’ll learn:
- What psychological safety really means (and what it doesn’t)
- How to identify the barriers holding your organization back
- The 4 stages of psychological safety, based on Timothy Clark’s research
- How to measure where your company stands today
- Step-by-step actions for HR and managers to create a culture of trust, learning, and contribution
To start, let’s define what psychological safety means and clear up common misconceptions.
What is Psychological Safety and Isn’t?
Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, defines psychological safety as: "A shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking."
In simpler terms, it means that employees feel safe to:
- Ask questions
- Share ideas (even if they’re imperfect)
- Admit mistakes without fear of punishment
- Challenge the status quo
Misconceptions About Psychological Safety
A common misconception is that psychological safety means keeping everyone comfortable. It could be avoiding conflict, sugarcoating feedback, or holding back criticism.
In reality, psychological safety is about making it safe to have difficult conversations, share concerns, and give honest feedback without fear of punishment. It’s not about avoiding discomfort. It’s about using it to drive learning and growth, rather than silence and disengagement.
Why is Psychological Safety Important?
Psychological safety is the foundation of strong team performance, innovation, and retention. When employees feel safe without fear of retaliation, organizations see large improvements in engagement, collaboration, and productivity.
- Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was the strongest predictor of team success, even more than individual talent or experience.
- A study by BCG found that only 3% of employees in workplaces with high psychological safety were at risk of quitting, compared to 12% in low-psychological safety environments.
- BCG also reports retention increases 4X for women and BIPOC employees, 5X for employees with disabilities, and 6X for LGBTQ+ employees.
However, despite its benefits, several workplace barriers make psychological safety difficult to achieve.
Barriers to Psychological Safety
Many organizations struggle to establish psychological safety due to ingrained workplace structures and behaviors that discourage open communication. According to a group of researchers, these 4 key psychological safety barriers make it difficult for employees to speak up and take risks without fear of consequences.
- Hierarchy: Junior employees hesitate to speak up in front of senior leadership, fearing their input will be dismissed or harm their reputation.
- Perceived lack of knowledge: Employees avoid contributing ideas or asking questions, worried they will appear unqualified or inexperienced.
- Personality differences: Extroverts dominate discussions, while introverts and underrepresented groups may struggle to be heard.
- Authoritarian leadership: Leaders who discourage feedback, penalize mistakes, or resist collaboration create a culture of silence.
Overcoming these barriers requires a step-by-step approach, starting with the 4 stages of psychological safety.
The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety (by Timothy Clark)
Psychological safety doesn’t happen all at once — it develops in stages. Timothy Clark’s 4 Stages of Psychological Safety explains how teams move from feeling included to actively challenging ideas and driving innovation.
Each stage builds on the previous one, creating an environment where employees feel increasingly secure in speaking up, contributing, and taking risks.
Inclusion Safety: Feeling Like You Belong
“Inclusion safety” is the foundation of psychological safety. At this stage, employees feel accepted and respected as part of the team, regardless of their background, identity, or role.
What this looks like:
- Team members greet each other, acknowledge contributions, and ensure no one is left out of discussions.
- Leaders and colleagues make an effort to pronounce names and pronouns correctly, recognize diverse perspectives, and invite everyone to participate.
- There are no cliques or favoritism in inclusive companies; everyone has a place and a voice.
Why it matters: People won’t share ideas, ask questions, or challenge the status quo if they don’t feel like they belong. Inclusion safety makes it clear that everyone is valued and welcome.
Learner Safety: Feeling Safe to Learn and Make Mistakes
Once employees feel included, they need to feel safe learning, asking questions, and making mistakes. Learner safety means that employees don’t fear embarrassment or punishment for not knowing something or for trying and failing.
What this looks like:
- Managers encourage curiosity and frame mistakes as learning opportunities instead of failures.
- Employees are comfortable admitting when they don’t understand something or need help.
- Feedback is constructive, not punitive. Mistakes are used as lessons, not reasons for criticism.
Why it matters: If people are afraid of looking incompetent, they will avoid asking questions, trying new things, or admitting when they need help. Learner safety makes continuous improvement possible.
Contributor Safety: Feeling Safe to Share Ideas and Do Your Job
At this stage, employees feel confident contributing their skills, knowledge, and ideas without fear of being ignored, judged, or undermined. They believe their work matters and that their input is valued.
What this looks like:
- Managers actively seek input from employees and encourage them to take ownership of projects.
- Employees feel empowered to suggest ideas and improvements.
- Team members recognize each other’s contributions and celebrate successes.
Why it matters: Without contributor safety, employees may stay quiet or disengaged, believing their efforts won’t make a difference. Contributor safety helps teams tap into their collective talent.
Challenger Safety: Feeling Safe to Question and Improve
The highest level of psychological safety is challenger safety. At this stage, employees feel comfortable challenging the way things are done, offering new ideas, and pushing back on decisions without fear of retaliation.
What this looks like:
- Employees are encouraged to question processes, policies, and decisions to improve outcomes.
- Leaders welcome constructive debate and different viewpoints instead of shutting down dissent.
- Mistakes, risks, and bold ideas are seen as part of innovation, not something to be punished.
Why it matters: Challenger safety is what drives real change and innovation. Without it, teams get stuck in outdated ways of thinking, and companies fail to adapt to new challenges.
How Do You Know Which Stage Your Organization Is In?
To build psychological safety, you first need to know where your organization stands. The following questionnaire helps assess which stage your team or company is in.
Each question has a score from 1 to 5. 1 being “not true at all” and 5 being “completely true”.
Once you identify where your organization stands, you can focus on moving toward the next level of psychological safety.
Inclusion Safety: Do Employees Feel Like They Belong?
Do you feel respected by your colleagues, regardless of your background, identity, or job title?
Do you feel included in meetings and discussions, rather than overlooked?
When you joined this team, did you feel welcomed and supported?
Do you see a diverse range of perspectives being valued and encouraged?
Do you feel like you can be yourself at work without fear of being judged or excluded?
Score Interpretation:
- 20–25: Strong Inclusion Safety
- 15–19: Some Inclusion Safety, but improvement needed
- Below 15: Low Inclusion Safety, employees may feel like outsiders
Learner Safety: Do Employees Feel Safe to Learn and Make Mistakes?
Do you feel comfortable asking questions without worrying about looking unprepared or uninformed?
When you make a mistake, do you feel supported rather than blamed?
Do you feel safe saying, "I don’t know" or "I need help"?
Do you receive feedback in a way that helps you improve rather than discourages you?
Score Interpretation:
- 20–25: Strong Learner Safety
- 15–19: Some Learner Safety, but hesitation remains
- Below 15: Low Learner Safety, employees may fear making mistakes
Contributor Safety: Do Employees Feel Safe to Share Ideas and Take Ownership?
Do you feel that your ideas and contributions are valued?
Do you have opportunities to take ownership of projects and decisions?
When you speak up, do you feel heard and acknowledged by your manager and colleagues?
Do you feel encouraged to share your thoughts and insights in team discussions?
Do you receive credit and recognition for your contributions?
Score Interpretation:
- 20–25: Strong Contributor Safety
- 15–19: Some Contributor Safety, but employees may lack confidence
- Below 15: Low Contributor Safety, employees may feel disengaged or unheard
Challenger Safety: Do Employees Feel Safe to Question and Challenge the Status Quo?
Do you feel comfortable challenging existing processes or decisions without fear of backlash?
Do leaders encourage open discussions and different viewpoints?
Do you feel safe asking, "Why do we do it this way?" or suggesting alternatives?
Are mistakes and failures seen as learning opportunities rather than reasons for punishment?
Do you feel supported when taking risks or proposing bold ideas?
Score Interpretation:
- 20–25: Strong Challenger Safety
- 15–19: Some Challenger Safety, but reluctance remains
- Below 15: Low Challenger Safety, employees may avoid speaking up
What Your Score Means:
- If none of the scores are high (below 15 in every stage): Psychological safety is low at all levels. Employees may not feel included, safe to learn, encouraged to contribute, or able to challenge the status quo. In this case, start with inclusion safety by creating a culture where people feel valued and heard. Without a foundation of inclusion, higher levels of psychological safety cannot develop.
- If your highest score is in Inclusion Safety: Employees feel welcome, but they may not yet feel safe learning or speaking up. Focus on building learner safety by normalizing mistakes and encouraging curiosity.
- If your highest score is in Learner Safety: Employees are comfortable learning, but they may hesitate to contribute. Strengthen contributor safety by giving employees ownership and recognizing their efforts.
- If your highest score is in Contributor Safety: Employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, but they may not challenge the status quo. Build challenger safety by encouraging constructive debate and making it safe to question existing practices.
- If your highest score is in Challenger Safety: Your organization has a high level of psychological safety. Keep reinforcing it by maintaining open dialogue, embracing failure as a learning tool, and continuously improving team dynamics.
How to Create Psychological Safety In The Workplace (Based On Where You’re At)
Psychological safety doesn’t develop overnight, and it doesn’t happen just because an organization values it. It requires intentional action at every level.
Instead of adding extra tasks to a manager’s already full plate, these tactics integrate seamlessly into their daily responsibilities, such as how they run meetings, give feedback, delegate work, and communicate with their teams. The key is adjusting what they already do, not adding more work.
Find your organization’s current stage from the previous questionnaire and apply the relevant strategies below.
If Your Organization’s Score is Low on All Stages
Goal: To advance to the Inclusion Safety stage where employees feel like they belong and are valued.
Where to Focus: Managers should ensure that everyone is included in conversations, acknowledged for their contributions, and respected for who they are.
How to Build Inclusion Safety:
- Run inclusive meetings. Ensure everyone has air time by rotating speakers and directly inviting input from quieter team members.
- Acknowledge contributions in real time. Reinforce participation with comments like, “That’s a great point, Maria. Let’s explore that further.”
- Be mindful of ‘in-group’ dynamics. Watch for cliques or unintentional exclusion and redirect the conversation to involve everyone. If you notice the same voices dominating a discussion, say, “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet—[name], what’s your take?” to actively bring others in.
- Check in personally. Instead of just asking for work updates, say, “How’s your workload this week?” to show you care.
- Recognize different work styles. Some employees contribute best in writing rather than in meetings. Before a meeting, send out key discussion points and invite team members to share thoughts in writing.
If Your Organization’s Highest Score is Inclusion Safety
Goal: To advance to the Learner Safety stage where employees feel safe to learn, ask questions, and make mistakes.
Where to Focus: Managers should make mistakes a normal part of growth, encourage curiosity, and provide constructive feedback.
How to Build Learner Safety:
- Reframe mistakes in feedback. Instead of saying, “This is wrong,” say, “This is a great starting point. Let’s refine this part.”
- Ask for help openly. When leaders admit they don’t have all the answers, employees feel more comfortable doing the same. Try saying, “I’m weighing two options here. Can you help me think through the best approach?"
- Turn mistakes into team discussions. Instead of quietly correcting errors, discuss what the team can learn: “What can we take from this experience?”
- Model learning behavior. Share your own experiences with trial and error by saying, “I once tried something similar, and here’s what I learned from it.” This normalizes learning from mistakes and encourages a growth mindset.
If Your Organization’s Highest Score is Learner Safety
Goal: To advance to the Contributor Safety stage where employees feel safe to share ideas, contribute their skills, and take ownership.
Where to Focus: Managers should actively seek input, encourage initiative, and ensure employees feel their work matters.
How to Build Contributor Safety:
- Ask for feedback before making decisions. Instead of presenting a finalized plan, say, “Before we finalize this, what gaps do you see?” Be specific when asking for feedback.
- Use “What else?” questions. When someone shares an idea, ask “What else could we consider?” to signal that contributions are valued.
- Give people ownership and autonomy. Let employees decide how to approach a project rather than prescribing every step. Instead of saying “Here’s how I want you to do this,” ask “How do you think we should tackle this?”
- Publicly support team members’ ideas. If an idea needs refinement, shape it together rather than shutting it down. Instead of saying, “That won’t work,” say, “I see where you're going with this. How can we tweak it to address [specific concern]?”
- Give praise where it’s due. Express gratitude and recognize contributions in meetings and one-on-one conversations.
If Your Organization’s Highest Score is Contributor Safety
Goal: To advance to the Challenger Safety stage where employees feel safe to question, challenge the status quo, and offer new ideas.
Where to Focus: Managers should create a culture where constructive debate is encouraged, and employees feel empowered to push for improvements.
How to Build Challenger Safety:
- Reward constructive disagreement. When someone challenges an idea, thank them: “Good call, I hadn’t thought of that angle.”
- Play devil’s advocate (and invite others to do the same). Regularly ask, “What could go wrong with this approach?”
- Celebrate people who speak up. After someone raises a concern, acknowledge their courage: “I appreciate you bringing that up.”
- Make "challenging up" part of meetings. Dedicate five minutes to questioning current processes and brainstorming improvements. Ask “What’s one thing we could improve or do differently?” at the end of every meeting to encourage open discussion. Rotate who leads this part to ensure all voices are heard.
If Your Organization’s Highest Score is Challenger Safety
If your team already operates at the Challenger Safety stage, you have built a high-trust, high-engagement culture. Your challenge now is sustaining this environment and fine-tuning leadership behaviors to ensure psychological safety doesn’t fade.
Where to Focus: Managers should focus on maintaining open dialogue, preventing complacency, and continuously strengthening trust.
How to Sustain Challenger Safety:
- Keep challenging yourself. Psychological safety can decline if leaders get too comfortable. Ask, “Am I still encouraging debate and fresh thinking, or am I defaulting to the familiar?”
- Ensure all challenges lead to action. If employees speak up but nothing changes, they may stop engaging. When concerns or ideas are raised, follow through with visible action or explain why a decision was made.
- Prevent groupthink. Even in highly engaged teams, it’s easy to fall into patterns where everyone agrees too quickly. Appoint a rotating devil’s advocate to challenge ideas constructively.
- Reinforce risk-taking and innovation. If the team becomes too risk-averse, start asking, “What’s something bold we haven’t tried yet?” or “If we had no limitations, how would we approach this differently?”
- Watch for voice imbalances. Sometimes, the most confident voices dominate discussions while others hesitate. Make sure all team members, especially quieter ones, feel equally empowered to challenge ideas.
Example: A manager notices that their team openly questions ideas but tends to avoid big, ambitious risks. Instead of assuming everything is fine, they challenge the team: “What’s the one thing we’re not doing because it feels too risky? Let’s explore it.”
If your team is already in the Challenger Safety stage, your role is to keep refining it. Psychological safety is sustained through ongoing leadership, self-awareness, and a commitment to continuous improvement, keeping teams engaged and thriving.
Psychological Safety Is a Leadership Responsibility
Psychological safety grows through daily interactions, not just policies or training programs. The way managers run meetings, give feedback, and respond to mistakes shapes whether employees feel safe to engage or stay silent.
Organizations that commit to psychological safety see stronger teams, more innovation, and higher retention. Employees take ownership, challenge ideas, and contribute at their full potential.
For HR and People leaders, the real challenge is securing buy-in, holding managers accountable, and making safety a workplace norm. When leaders model it, psychological safety becomes part of the culture, driving lasting success.
The strongest organizations do not leave trust to chance, they build it every day. Where will you start?
FAQs about Psychological Safety
How do we get leadership buy-in for psychological safety?
Connect it to business outcomes, as it will lead to lower turnover, higher engagement, and stronger innovation. Show data on how psychological safety improves retention and performance.
How do we train managers to create psychological safety?
Shift from formal training to real-time coaching. Use feedback loops, leadership shadowing, and scenario-based practice to reinforce safe behaviors.
What’s the fastest way to improve psychological safety without big initiatives?
Train managers to reframe mistakes, ask for input, and recognize contributions. These small shifts in daily interactions have an immediate impact.
How can we integrate psychological safety into performance management?
Make it part of leadership evaluations. Assess how managers encourage open dialogue, respond to feedback, and handle mistakes.
How do we ensure psychological safety isn’t misused as an excuse for low accountability?
Make it clear that safety means freedom to speak up, not slack off. Pair psychological safety with clear expectations and performance standards.
How do we make psychological safety part of company culture, not just a temporary initiative?
Embed it in leadership expectations, onboarding, and team rituals. Recognize managers who foster safe environments and hold those who don’t accountable.
What do we do if employees still don’t speak up, even after changes?
Leaders should go first. Model vulnerability by admitting mistakes, asking for feedback, and challenging the status quo themselves.
How do we measure psychological safety beyond surveys?
Observe meeting dynamics, track participation rates, and assess how often employees admit mistakes or challenge ideas. Look for signs of silence or disengagement.
