Signs your team feels psychologically safe

[WORLD] Psychological safety is one of the most critical elements of a successful and high-performing team. It’s the foundation that allows individuals to feel comfortable expressing their ideas, taking risks, and making mistakes without fear of judgment or retaliation. With remote and hybrid work becoming more common, ensuring psychological safety has never been more important.

But how do you know if your team feels psychologically safe? Here are six ways to assess the state of your team’s psychological safety and steps to enhance it, so your team can perform at its highest potential.

1. Open Communication and Active Participation

A hallmark of a psychologically safe team is open communication. If your team members feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas, and even challenging the status quo, that’s a strong sign of psychological safety. In teams where this safety is lacking, individuals may withhold opinions, avoid providing feedback, or only offer suggestions that align with the leader's perspective.

How to assess: Observe team meetings and one-on-one interactions. Are people freely sharing their thoughts, or are conversations dominated by a few individuals? Pay attention to the balance of participation and how comfortable team members are in offering dissenting views.

What you can do: Encourage inclusivity by actively inviting input from quieter team members. Foster an environment where differing opinions are welcomed, ensuring everyone feels valued for their perspective.

2. Mistakes Are Seen as Learning Opportunities

Teams with psychological safety view mistakes as part of the learning process. When errors occur, they are not met with criticism or blame but with support and a focus on finding solutions. This enables individuals to take calculated risks and be more innovative in their work.

How to assess: Look at how your team responds when things go wrong. Do they point fingers and assign blame, or do they discuss how they can improve and avoid similar issues in the future?

What you can do: Shift the focus from blame to growth. Praise efforts that lead to new learning, and make it clear that mistakes are part of the journey toward improvement. This mindset helps foster a culture of continuous improvement.

3. Team Members Support Each Other

Psychological safety isn’t just about speaking up—it’s also about support. In a psychologically safe team, members look out for each other and provide encouragement during challenging times. They offer help without fear of judgment and show empathy when others are struggling.

How to assess: Do team members offer assistance when someone is overwhelmed? Are they willing to help solve problems, or is there a sense of competition that undermines collaboration?

What you can do: Cultivate a culture of empathy and support by regularly recognizing team achievements and efforts. Encourage collaboration over competition by celebrating collective successes, not just individual accomplishments.

4. Vulnerability is Accepted, Not Ridiculed

Being able to be vulnerable without fear of ridicule is one of the cornerstones of psychological safety. Teams that are psychologically safe allow individuals to express vulnerability, whether it’s admitting they don’t know something, sharing personal challenges, or asking for help.

How to assess: Watch how team members react when someone admits to a weakness or knowledge gap. Is there an immediate sense of support, or does the individual face ridicule or judgment?

What you can do: Lead by example by sharing your own vulnerabilities. If you admit when you don't have all the answers or share your own challenges, others will feel more comfortable doing the same. Remind the team that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.

5. Feedback is Constructive and Welcomed

In psychologically safe teams, feedback flows both ways—up and down. Team members feel comfortable offering constructive criticism and know they will receive the same in return. Importantly, feedback is viewed as an opportunity for growth rather than an attack on personal abilities.

How to assess: Observe how feedback is given and received. Is feedback specific and constructive? Do team members act on feedback positively, or do they react defensively?

What you can do: Foster a feedback-rich environment by setting clear expectations around how feedback should be delivered. Encourage the use of "I" statements and focus on behaviors and outcomes, not personal traits. Create regular opportunities for feedback exchange, whether through formal performance reviews or informal check-ins.

6. Employees Take Initiative Without Fear of Reprisal

Psychologically safe teams encourage autonomy and initiative. Team members feel empowered to take ownership of their tasks, propose new ideas, and experiment with innovative solutions without fearing negative consequences if things don’t go as planned.

How to assess: Are your team members proactive in proposing new ideas or tackling new challenges? Or do they wait for instructions, afraid to take initiative for fear of failure or rejection?

What you can do: Offer support when team members step out of their comfort zones. Celebrate initiative, even if the result isn’t perfect. This sends the message that taking risks and trying new things is a valued behavior, regardless of the outcome.

Why Psychological Safety Matters

The concept of psychological safety was popularized by Google’s "Project Aristotle," which concluded that teams with higher levels of psychological safety were more likely to be successful. In these teams, people felt comfortable taking risks, speaking up, and sharing ideas—all essential components of creativity and innovation.

A lack of psychological safety, on the other hand, can result in disengagement, reduced productivity, and even burnout. Without the freedom to express themselves or make mistakes, employees may become less motivated, less innovative, and more likely to leave the organization.

Fostering psychological safety is not just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a necessity for teams that want to thrive in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing work environments. By encouraging open communication, supporting mistakes as learning opportunities, and promoting vulnerability and feedback, leaders can help create a workplace where everyone feels safe to contribute their best work. When teams feel psychologically safe, they don’t just survive—they thrive.

By continuously monitoring these six indicators and taking steps to enhance psychological safety, organizations can build teams that are not only more resilient but also more productive and innovative. And the best part? The positive effects are often felt far beyond the team—radiating throughout the entire organization.