When was the last time someone on your team told you: “Boss, this is bullshit”? And when was the last time HR heard from an employee: “I’m afraid to speak up because I know it’s going to turn out badly”? If you have a hard time answering these questions, you probably have a problem in your company. Maybe not immediately visible. People go to work, complete tasks, the numbers don’t look catastrophic yet. But something much more dangerous than a bad quarter is settling under the surface: fear. And with it, the most valuable thing you have in your team disappears. Openness, ideas and the ability to learn from mistakes.
Psychological safety is not a soft HR term, it’s not a fad that will fade away in a few years. It’s a hard business factor. Companies that have it innovate, attract talent and retain people longer. Companies that ignore it pay a huge toll in the form of turnover, burnout, sabotage and silence. And the worst part is that most CEOs and HR managers think, “We’re not that bad.” But that’s like the captain of the Titanic saying, “Don’t worry, we’ve only got a small leak.”
One of the biggest misconceptions is that psychological safety means that everyone will always be comfortable at work. That the company will become a wellness center where there is no pressure, no conflict, no tension. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. Teams with high psychological safety set high goals, aren’t afraid to disagree, openly talk about mistakes, and have tough discussions. The difference is that they do this in an environment where no one is afraid of being slapped for being open.
Psychological safety means that I can take interpersonal risks without fear of humiliation, ridicule, or punishment. I can say “I don’t get it,” “we made a mistake,” “I have a different idea,” and I know it won’t be the end of my career. It’s an environment where a mistake isn’t a stigma, but a learning opportunity. Where disagreement isn’t a betrayal, but a path to a better solution. And where asking a question isn’t a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.
The absence of psychological safety isn’t always noticeable. It’s not that people walk down the hallways with fear in their eyes, whispering about a tyrannical boss. Often, everything looks normal on the surface. Meetings are held, tasks are completed, KPIs are tracked. But when you look closer, a toxic silence emerges. The manager speaks, the team nods, and half the people know the strategy doesn’t make sense. But no one says anything. Not because they’re stupid or lazy, but because they’ve learned that telling the truth means trouble.
Mistakes start to hide. Instead of learning, the company creates small black boxes where things are hidden. Ideas disappear because employees resign. Why would they suggest anything if their suggestions end up swept off the table or ridiculed? Talented and courageous people leave, and those who adapt to the culture of silence remain. And the office becomes a “shut up and move on” atmosphere. It seems calm on the outside, but inside, a suffocation is forming that slowly suffocates creativity, engagement, and loyalty.
Psychological safety is not just a nice term for company presentations. In its Project Aristotle research, Google found that the most effective teams have this very characteristic in common. Not the best technology, not the best-set processes, but an environment where people are not afraid to speak up. Harvard Business School, thanks to Amy Edmondson’s work, has shown that teams with high psychological safety make more mistakes, but also learn from them faster. Teams with low psychological safety make the same mistakes, they just keep quiet about it, and so mistakes are repeated and cost more money. Gallup has long proven that engaged employees are those who feel heard, respected, and can speak openly. Companies with high engagement have significantly higher profitability and lower turnover. Translated into business practice: psychological safety is not a nice idea, it is a hard financial indicator. It is an investment with a clear return.
Psychological safety does not start with HR, but with management. The leader is the one who sets the tone for the entire company. All it takes is one mocking remark, one dismissive gesture, and openness is gone. People very quickly remember what happened to a colleague who spoke up and was silenced or ridiculed. And they stop trying.
A manager can be a bridge builder or a barrier builder. He builds bridges by asking questions, admitting his own mistakes, and giving space for different opinions. It creates barriers when it ridicules, interrupts, and punishes mistakes. Psychological safety is not softness or benevolence. On the contrary, it requires courage from the leader and the team. It is easier to silence people than to create an environment where they are not afraid to disagree. But it is precisely the courage to disagree that distinguishes a stagnant company from an innovative one.
HR has a huge role to play in this regard, but be careful: HR is not a magician who can create psychological safety at the snap of a finger. It is not enough to add a benefit or buy a single training course. HR can educate leaders in communication and feedback. It can implement trust tools such as the Employee Assistance Program. It can measure corporate culture through surveys or focus groups. And it can be an advocate for employees, conveying the voice from the bottom up to management.
But if CEOs and managers do not understand that psychological safety is key, HR alone will not save anything. That is the harsh truth. HR can prepare the conditions, it can show the way, but if management does not want it, change will not come.
Creating psychological safety is not esoteric. It starts with leaders and their behavior. It is essential to normalize mistakes, because in an environment where mistakes are a ticket to punishment, no one will learn. It is equally important to encourage questions and show that ignorance is not a weakness. Active listening means letting the quiet voices speak, not just the loudest ones. Trust can be built through transparency, fair decision-making, and clear rules. And an EAP can be a huge help, offering employees a confidential channel where they can confide and get support.
Every month that people in your company are silent is costing you more than you think. How many ideas are never heard? How many mistakes are hidden until they explode? How many talents have left you because they didn’t feel safe? Psychological safety is not a “nice to have.” It’s essential.
