Psychological Safety:
New empirical evidence underscores the importance of psychological safety as dominant factor in whether a team is able to be characterized as successful. Most high-performing teams are characterised by their openness to admitting mistakes and engaging in constructive discussions. This culture of continuous learning and improvement fosters creativity, innovation, and groundbreaking problem-solving. Individuals within these teams feel empowered to take risks and make mistakes without fear of ridicule or rejection, ultimately driving team success. This insight has prompted a shift away from the notion of putting on a ‘work face’ at the office, as true psychological safety requires the freedom to share vulnerabilities and engage in difficult conversations without fear of repercussions. Embracing authenticity and openness in the workplace is essential for cultivating a culture of trust and collaboration, leading to enhanced team performance and success.
Effective problem-solving and decision-making rely on diversity of perspective, collaboration, and innovation. However, if employees feel apprehensive about speaking up, making mistakes, or taking risks, the quality of solutions and decisions may suffer. In psychologically safe environments, individuals are liberated from concerns about managing impressions and can focus more on productive work. Fortunately, the behaviors that foster psychological safetyโsuch as conversational turn-taking and empathyโare integral to establishing bonds, both in personal and professional contexts. Recognising the significance of human connections in the workplace is paramount, as these bonds often hold greater importance in work environments. Therefore, efforts are needed to acknowledge and rectify dehumanized or overly corporatised work environments, prioritising employee well-being and employee contributions to the team.
WHAT WE DO
Improve team performance with supportive environments
Barcley consultants help you foster a psychologically safe work environment and improve the outcomes of your team. We partner with you to measure the levels of psychological safety in your organisation, then, identify and implement opportunities to rapidly lift team performance and business results. Regardless of where you are on your psychological safety journey, we are experienced in supporting senior executives, HR professionals and line managers to move their organisations along the maturity curve by building more trust in their teams.
OUR APPROACH
Example: Rapid development plan
Our proprietary five-week program is designed to assist organizations, departments, and functional areas in enhancing team culture and trust. The program begins by establishing an as-is baseline through a confidential online diagnostic survey and analysis. Expert review of existing policies, documents, and frameworks follows, complemented by virtual and in-office observations of working interactions and meetings. Additionally, one-on-one employee consultations provide valuable insights. Participants receive workshop training on psychological safety principles and the program culminates in the development of a Psychological Safety Roadmap, outlining clear next steps. With our program, organisations can expedite their culture and team development strategy by swiftly transitioning towards behaviors that foster psychological safety.
Psychological safety tools
Stage setting
Behavior commitment matrices
Conversational turn taking
Empathy training โ storytelling
Employee โvoiceโ sessions
Prototype, test and evaluate
Empowering People
You can empower people to realise their potential