Ever wondered what psychological safety in the workplace is really all about? Bit of a buzz word. Something often mentioned in company conferences and then forgotten. But who actually knows how to make it happen on a day-to-day basis? Read on to learn the real cost of fear and the secret recipe to creating safety and high performing teams.
Recalling white knuckle terror
When was the last time you felt really scared? I don’t mean scared that your parking’s about to run out. Or even ‘Stranger Things’ scared. I mean absolutely terrified to your bone marrow. Hairs rising on the back of your neck. Seriously considering pulling the rip cord and running for your one shooting star of a life.
It might be hard to recall. I really hope that it is. Unless, god forbid, you’re living in a war-zone. We just don’t find ourselves running from predators so much these days. It’s been almost 12,000 years since a sabre tooth tiger gave chase.
So maybe cast your mind back to when you were little. When things went bump in the night. Remember rushing up the stairs in the dark, jumping onto the bed and scrambling under the duvet to avoid those pesky monsters beneath? They felt so real!
Remember scaring yourself silly with horror films you almost definitely shouldn’t have been watching? Freddy Krueger and his terrifying claw hands in A Nightmare on Elm Street? Chucky, that frightful doll in Child’s Play? Blood exploding out of the plughole and deranged Clowns in Stephen King’s “It”? You’ll have your own list from your own decade but I remember vividly how sure I was that this cast of characters were in my cupboard, hiding behind the curtains, stroking my cheek as I dropped off to sleep.
Stuff. Of. Technicolor. Nightmares.
When childhood terror evolves into adult workplace fear
What’s the purpose of this irrational horror journey we go on as developing children? Why do we all seem to go through it to a greater or lesser degree? Is it a design flaw? Some sick joke? And why does fear of monsters under the bed evolve in adulthood into a fear of giving presentations..?
The active imagination of a child is something most of us grow out of – although truthfully, I’m still not down with clowns – but the fear many of us feel as adults in the workplace is something that can feel just as real but is often not acknowledged or spoken about freely. There is a reason that that creeping, crawling, uneasy feeling many of us experience on the day before the week begins is sometimes referred to as ‘The Sunday-night horrors’. A steadily expanding sense of feeling unsettled, nervous, panicky, anxious.
In essence, it’s fear.
Fear of speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of giving your honest point of view. Fear of saying that you’ve got too much on your plate. Fear of saying “no”. Fear of maintaining your own boundaries. Fear of showing your true self. Fear of challenging the status quo. Fear of being humiliated. Fear of being overlooked for a promotion. Fear of being pushed out of the tribe.
Sure, we’re not at the acute, sabre tooth tiger end of the fear spectrum here. We’re not even at Chucky. But the impact of low level, chronic fear in the workplace must not be underestimated.
When you feel fear, your sympathetic nervous system is over active. Your body floods with excess cortisol and adrenaline increasing your heart rate. This creates ‘hormone steal’ – when your endocrine system is hijacked to produce all of this additional cortisol and adrenaline, it diverts resources away from all of your other hormonal functions, impacting your digestive system, your immune system, your reproductive system and your ability to sleep. Over time, if coping strategies or interventions are not in place, living in this state of heightened stress can erode your mental health. It significantly reduces the ability of your parasympathetic nervous system to effectively rest and digest, meaning your body’s ability to heal and recover is compromised.
The longer-term result can include high blood pressure and cardiovascular ill health, obesity, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disease, anxiety and depression disorders and more.
So ‘The Sunday-night horrors’ can be even more sinister than it sounds.
The potential impact of chronic fear on employee wellbeing
What does chronic workplace fear look like?
I have personally experienced low level workplace fear like this. It’s a stealth but steady enemy to energy and motivation.
“Be less reasonable with your people,” I was told by my Baby Boomer boss and CEO.
“Stop approving their annual leave so easily.”
“Don’t let them work from home.”
“Don’t let them wear headphones at their desks.”
“Don’t encourage them to go to the gym at lunchtime.”
“Make sure you’ve got eyes on them.”
I positively challenged this archaic management style for years but was persistently told I was wrong. To get back in line.
I was worn down over time. I faced my own physical health challenges and slowly but surely, I relented. I stopped being so reasonable. I stopped speaking up in Board Meetings when I thought that people were being treated badly. I stopped pushing back. I stopped protecting my people and their enthusiasm.
I felt increasingly flat. My team got sadder. I got sicker. The targets got missed by larger and larger margins. Eventually I left. Sad story. But not an uncommon one.
What is the impact of a culture of fear on companies?
A culture of fear in the workplace, no matter how subtle, has not only been proven to have a ghastly impact on people’s wellbeing and engagement, it’s also been known to take down entire global businesses.
The VW emissions crisis is thought to be on account of engineers being so intimidated by their Board and their infeasible targets, that they created a way to cheat the emissions test. Resulting in 11 million dangerously noncompliant diesel vehicles on the road worldwide. Spewing out 40 times the compliant level of noxious gas. One third of the company’s market value vanished almost overnight. 59 people died. Because of fear.
Two fatal accidents of Boeing 737 Max jets are now blamed on workers being pushed to maintain an overly ambitious production schedule, fearful of losing their jobs if they raised concerns. The company estimated a loss of $18.4 billion following these tragedies and sought a $60 billion bailout. 346 people died. Because of fear.
And we can’t forget Brewdog. A real C-Suite horror show of hundreds of ex and current employees blowing the whistle on a toxic culture of intimidation, lies, misogyny and resulting mental illness. Splattered all over social media in an open letter, plus a damning BBC Disclosure documentary to boot. Resulting in a total loss of reputation which the company is now desperately trying to claw back. And CEO, James Watt, revealing that the period since these conduct allegations has been, “Nothing short of hell.” Because of fear.
Psychological safety in the workplace is the antidote to fear
So what is the antidote to fear? Put simply, it’s safety. Not rocket science, not new, not sexy.
But when people feel safe to their cores and honesty reigns, they are free to speak up, liberated to fail fast and their most committed, collaborative and innovative selves can emerge.
Safety is also protective. It prevents people from lying, gaming the system and compromising themselves.
Google researchers found that individuals on teams with higher psychological safety are less likely to leave the company, more likely to harness the power of diverse ideas from their teammates, they bring in more revenue and they are rated as effective twice as often by executives. Psychological safety was found by them to be the key factor in creating high performing teams in their landmark two year study, Project Aristotle.
How to create psychological safety in the workplace
So how do you create psychological safety in the workplace as a leader today? Read on to learn about our EPR model inspired by the work of Harvard’s Amy C Edmondson and three actionable tips from workplace wellbeing training company, Welfy.
The EPR model for creating psychological safety in the workplace
1. Reset EXPECTATIONS from the top
This is about setting the stage and the tone. Explaining that as a leader you understand and appreciate that everyone is operating in a volatile and complex environment. Acknowledge that working in these conditions is not straightforward.
Express that you expect there to be mistakes and learning along the way. This is about reframing failure as an opportunity to learn. And ‘Failing fast’ as the path to success.
Emphasise purpose – identify what’s at stake, why it matters and for whom – you are trying to motivate effort here. As people can lose sight of the bigger picture and we all need a sense of purpose to bring our A-game.
2. Spark PARTICIPATION
Have you heard the phrase situational humility? This is adopting a learning mindset. Becoming ‘The master of I don’t knows’. No one will take an interpersonal risk and make a suggestion when the boss gives the impression that they know everything.
To encourage participation you need proactive enquiry – this means purposefully probing, cultivating genuine interest and curiosity in others’ views and responses. What might this sound like..?
“Ok, that’s one side. who’s got something else to add?”
“You look concerned?”
“You haven’t said much.”
“What are you hearing in the R&D team?”
“What assumptions are we making?
“What are you up against?”
“What’s in your way?”
We must also design structures for people’s input – it might be quantitative, qualitative, focus groups, steering committees or cross-functional networks where frank views are permissible and actively endorsed.
3. REACT well
When it comes to reacting to people speaking up, it’s important to express appreciation first. This can be low level – small but genuine thank yous, or high level – celebrations or rewards for intelligent failure.
And as you reframed failure when you set expectations in part 1 of the model, this is you making good on that promise when it happens.
If a leader responds with anger or disdain as soon as someone steps forward to speak up about a problem, the safety will quickly evaporate. A productive response must be appreciative, respectful, and offer a path forward.
What now?
Where to begin in creating psychological safety in your team? What part can you play in creating psychological safety in your workplace from today? What is the first new behaviour you’ll personally adopt to begin to reduce subtle fear in your culture? How could you:
· Set EXPECTATIONS and frame the work differently?
· Invite PARTICIPATION differently?
· REACT to failure more appropriately?
Make one tiny commitment and try it out today. And let’s never speak of Stephen King’s “It” again. Thank you.
Speak to Welfy today to learn more about our proven Leadership Wellbeing Training Series. Covering the critical topics for today’s leaders to create high performing teams and a sustainable culture of safety and wellbeing.
“The academic research is overwhelming: when people believe they can speak up at work, the learning, innovation and performance of their organisations is greater.” Amy C Edmondson
