Psychological Safety

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Psychological Safety in the Workplace Training

Many organisations are starting to recognise the importance of employee wellbeing and are investing in workplace mental health training. At HumanEx, we expand on this important work by offering tailored psychological safety in the workplace training as a natural extension and progression of both mental health and effective leadership initiatives.

As specialists in workplace wellbeing training, we provide targeted programmes that equip organisations with the tools to effectively overcome the challenges of psychologically unsafe environments. We focus on building trust and respect across the four main areas of psychological safety: Learner Safety, Inclusion Safety, Contributor safety and Challenger Safety. 

This practical, knowledge-based approach cultivates environments where individuals feel valued, included, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. By promoting open communication, fostering mutual trust, viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth, and ensuring inclusivity, we help create environments where individuals can thrive and contribute at their highest potential.

Contact us today to learn more about our psychological safety courses and how they can help drive inclusion, diversity and business performance.

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How We Approach Psychological Safety Training

Our psychological safety in the workplace training provides organisations and individuals with the skills to address psychological safety at a wider team level and a closer peer relationship level, bringing out the best in both teams and individuals. Our sessions focus on building trust, open communication, and inclusivity, creating an environment where individuals feel safe to express themselves. We align our sessions with the principles of kaitiakitanga (stewardship), whanaungatanga (connection), and kotahitanga (unity), and we prepare leaders and teams with practical tools to quickly address behaviours that potentially undermine the psychological wellbeing of team members. 

We also provide support and training sessions on psychosocial safety, which is essential to building a genuinely safe workplace. Psychosocial safety addresses organisational factors that impact a mentally healthy work environment. Potential hazards like bullying, excessive workload, poor work design, and ill informed policies and procedure form part of the Psychosocial Safety Climate framework which is being quickly adopted into existing Health and Safety requirements. Wiithout psychosocial safety measures in place, employees may be unnessecarily preoccupied with environmental and relationship stressors which limits their ability to contribute authentically and creatively. 

By addressing these challenges, psychosocial safety helps create a wider work environment where individuals feel emotionally secure, reducing the risk of stress-related harm and fostering a healthier, more productive workplace culture. This is a key foundation for psychological safety and high-performing teams.

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What is the difference between Psychological Safety Training and Psychosocial Safety Training?

Psychosocial safety training focuses on creating environments where individuals are protected from harm to their mental health due to possible stressors like bullying, discrimination, or excessive workload. At its core, psychosocial safety is about minimising risks that affect mental and emotional wellbeing at a systemic level.

Psychological safety workplace training, on the other hand, emphasises safety in interpersonal relationships and individual feelings of inclusion, safety to learn, voice concerns, share ideas, and take risks. Psychological safety is what generates innovation and creativity

When integrated, psychosocial safety ensures that the organisational environment supports psychological safety by addressing broader workplace conditions contributing to stress or anxiety. Together, they create healthier cultures where employees are both protected from harm and encouraged to engage fully and authentically. The outcome is healthy, engaged, high-functioning, and high-performing team members.

Benefits of Training Employees on Mental Health Awareness

Mental health awareness training for employees also offers numerous benefits for the wider organisation. Here are some of the key advantages:

Psychosocial Safety

Our psychosocial safety programmes focus on identifying and managing risks that impact mental health and workplace wellbeing:

  • Assessment of Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC): We evaluate workplace conditions and interactions that may cause psychological harm, helping organisations address these risks proactively.
  • Policy and Procedure Review: We consult and review organisational policies to ensure they effectively promote a mentally healthy work environment and align with current legislation.
  • Flexible Work Strategies: We support the design and implementation of flexible work arrangements that align with work-life-performance balance, reduce stress, and prevent burnout.
  • Stress Management Training: Our specialised training workshops equip employees with practical tools, such as mindfulness, reframing techniques and distress tolerance, to manage stress effectively.
  • 1:1 Coaching for Mental Agility: Our personalised coaching helps employees develop self-awareness and emotional agility to better navigate stress and adapt to change.
  • Advisory Services: We provide guidance on utilising other wrap around services such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and other workplace wellbeing initiatives to ensure employees can access available internal support mechanisms and confidential external support.

Psychological Safety

We focus on fostering environments where individuals feel safe to contribute, share ideas, and are engaged at all levels of the organisation without fear of negative consequences:

  • Team Building: We facilitate group training experiences that strengthen trust, connection, and a sense of belonging, creating a solid foundation for psychological safety.
  • Leadership Development: Our leadership training emphasises emotional intelligence and effective communication, equipping leaders with the skills and knowledge to create supportive environments where employees feel heard and valued.
  • Practical Workshops: Our psychological safety training teaches essential interpersonal competencies such as active listening, encouraging vulnerability, normalising mistakes, and facilitating inclusive dialogue. These skills help foster psychological safety in everyday interactions, ensuring that it becomes part of the organisation’s fabric.
  • Conflict Resolution: We provide training on courageous conversations and constructive conflict management, giving teams the tools to address disagreements openly and productively, supporting a psychologically safe environment.

Our Integrated Approach

At HumanEx, we combine these two safety frameworks into a holistic strategy that addresses both psychosocial risks and psychological safety workplace training:

  • Wellbeing Committees: We work with you to establish committees to address psychosocial risks and interpersonal dynamics, creating a forum for discussing and improving employee wellbeing.
  • Regular Check-ins: We encourage regular one-on-one check-ins between managers and employees, providing a safe space to discuss work challenges, personal concerns, and overall wellbeing.
  • Peer Support Networks: We work with you to establish peer support networks (formal or informal) where employees can connect, share experiences, and offer mutual support. These networks can be internal or facilitated by HumanEx, fostering a strong sense of community and collective care within the organisation. We can also align these networks with specific training cohorts to ensure ongoing learning and development.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: We promote diversity and inclusion initiatives by addressing issues such as unconscious bias and stigma to foster a culture of respect. This ensures all employees feel valued and respected for their unique contributions and drives innovation.

This integrated approach ensures organisations improve the psychosocial safety climate and create a psychologically safe culture where employees can thrive and contribute authentically to the organisation and their own wellbeing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

At HumanEx, psychological safety means a workplace environment where everyone feels safe to express ideas, ask questions, share concerns, and take risks without fear of judgement, ridicule, or negative consequences. It’s a sense of openness that encourages honest and constructive communication, innovation, and the opportunity to learn from mistakes. Psychological safety burns brightly as a beacon of innovation, the freedom to be our best selves and progress towards better workplace cultures.

The key benefits of our psychological safety courses are:

  • Greater Employee Engagement: Employees feel more connected and motivated when they can speak openly and contribute without fear.
  • Enhanced Innovation: A safe environment encourages creative thinking and risk-taking, driving innovation.
  • Improved Decision-Making: Open dialogue allows for diverse perspectives, leading to better-informed decisions.
  • Reduced Conflict: Psychological safety fosters respectful communication, preventing misunderstandings and reducing conflicts.
  • Improved Company Culture: Focusing on psychological safety builds trust, collaboration, and a positive, inclusive workplace culture.

Psychological safety courses can significantly improve workplace dynamics and transform organisational culture. When employees feel safe approaching difficult situations with curiosity, sharing novel ideas, challenging the status quo, and taking calculated risks, they organically cultivate innovation and drive improved performance and success throughout the organisation.

To determine whether psychological safety training is the right choice for your business, take the following steps to assess your workplace:

  1. Employee Feedback: Gauge current safety levels by gathering honest feedback from employees through surveys or pulse checks, including data across the four domains of psychological safety.
  2. Review Key Metrics: Examine key metrics such as turnover rates, productivity, absenteeism, and growth targets to identify potential issues.
  3. Analyse Exit Interviews: Look for recurring themes in employee feedback, grievances, and exit interviews that suggest a lack of safety or openness.
  4. Observe Team Dynamics: Causally assess how teams communicate and collaborate—do all voices get heard, and how do leaders and other team members respond?
  5. Assess Leadership Behaviours: Evaluate how leadership actions impact employees’ willingness to speak up and share ideas.

Create a Safe, Healthy Workspace with HumanEx

Ready to create a space where everyone feels welcome to participate? By combining practical tools for psychosocial risk mitigation and psychological safety, organisations can create a workplace that addresses external stressors while promoting trust, openness, and support.

Book your course today for psychological safety in the workplace training that considers both the work environment and the interpersonal dynamics crucial for employee mental health and thriving. 

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