Article
Psychological Safety at the Heart of Retention and Performance
| By Janine Karam |
| Although competitive compensation, productivity bonuses, benefits, flexibility, advancement opportunities, etc. are important factors for employee retention, a climate of psychological safety is increasingly considered a crucial condition and an important lever for increasing this retention. Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, offers the following definition of psychological safety: « A team climate characterized by interpersonal trust and mutual respect in which people are comfortable being themselves.« If you recruit the best candidates with the best expertise and place them in a toxic environment, they will avoid expressing themselves and will lack the desire or motivation to innovate or collaborate. All the potential they could have deployed to improve the organization's performance will thus be lost. It is much more likely that an employee will be able to evolve where he feels listened to, mobilized, supported in his initiatives, encouraged to improve his skills and expertise, etc., regardless of the salary and the number of hours worked. Indeed, our job defines a good part of our identity and occupies a major portion of our day; we want, above all, a climate of psychological safety in which we can not only exist, but evolve and achieve our full potential. Google conducted a study to identify the key factors driving team performance, and psychological safety emerged as the most important one. Two key characteristics stood out: the fair distribution of speaking time among team members and the ability to empathize and perceive what others are feeling. This doesn’t mean turning organizations into therapy offices. However, it does imply that indicators of psychological safety are just as important as performance metrics. Even more so, these two dimensions are interdependent and directly impact teams’ ability to achieve their goals, and, by extension, the organization’s success. Here are some factors that influence the climate of psychological safety. La confiance pour une latitude décisionnelle Strict rules, rigid procedures, and overly precise expectations limit employees' ability to innovate and take initiative. They may lack confidence in their analytical skills, struggle with autonomy in making important decisions, and constantly need to refer to their manager, who tends to micromanage. In a climate of psychological safety, employees feel confident in using their skills effectively and in choosing how they work. They also participate in decisions related to their tasks. L’ambiance de travail Tense relationships, hallway complaints, unspoken frustrations, and a generally negative atmosphere—the list goes on, and the climate becomes toxic. A climate of psychological safety does not mean the absence of conflict; in teams, confrontations are inevitable, and differing opinions are even desirable. However, psychological safety ensures that these confrontations remain productive, allowing employees to learn from diverse perspectives. Le soutien social Leaving employees to face their concerns and challenges alone fosters a sense of isolation and increases stress. They may feel overwhelmed by professional challenges if they don’t sense that their manager provides a safety net to catch them and help them bounce back. Through humble, open, and active listening, a manager can better understand their challenges and work with them to explore possible solutions. La reconnaissance An employee may become anxious about their performance and role when their achievements go unnoticed, are not valued, or lack constructive feedback. To foster a climate of psychological safety, both small and large successes should be recognized—even through a simple expression of gratitude and pride. La recherche de sens An employee needs to understand and embrace the purpose of their role and how it contributes to the success of their team and organization. A climate of psychological safety allows them to express ideas, ask questions, and share concerns. This enables them to “find their place” and feel aligned with their strengths. It also fosters open discussions with colleagues about the relevance of their work, challenges the status quo, and encourages the proposal of improvements and more effective ways to achieve goals. L’expression de sa vulnérabilité Avoiding self-expression out of fear of criticism, retaliation, or harm significantly reduces motivation. If an employee cannot voice their concerns, worries, or negative emotions at work, these feelings will manifest in other areas of life (family, relationships, etc.), eventually impacting their mental health. In a climate of psychological safety, they have the right to say, “I don’t have the answer,” “I made a mistake,” “I’m struggling,” or “I need help.” They are heard and supported. Demonstrating vulnerability paves the way for other team members to do the same. L’échec déstigmatisé While some jobs allow no room for error, where mistakes can be life-threatening, the majority of roles should view errors as opportunities for learning and improvement rather than sources of anxiety and stress. Employees should not feel the need to hide their mistakes out of fear of blame or dismissal. Neuroscience has shown that fear consumes physiological resources, diverting them from the brain areas responsible for working memory, thereby impairing analytical thinking and creative ideas. Replacing criticism with constructive feedback fosters a culture where employees feel encouraged to try again, apply their ideas, and share them. This is a key driver of added value in an organization and contributes to collective intelligence. N’hésitez pas à consulter nos programmes chez LeaderZone, et en particulier « Building trust » that will help your managers inspire trust and build confidence in their employees. Trust is the foundational pillar of a climate of psychological safety, for a sustainable, high-performing team and an organization where it’s good to work! |
