How to Build Psychological Safety

More than a year into a global pandemic, how are employees feeling and what impact do those sentiments have on psychological safety at work? This report summarizes findings from a Workhuman survey.


Share this article

Have you ever witnessed something at work that just didn’t sit right with you? Did you voice your concern or keep it to yourself? How easy is it sharing feedback with your colleagues?

Your answers to these questions are largely dependent on the amount of psychological safety present in your team. Harvard professor Amy Edmondson defines psychological safety as “a shared belief that I can bring my full self to work, that I will not be humiliated or made to feel less good about myself if I speak up with ideas, with questions, with concerns, and yes, even with mistakes.”

Now is the time to bring this to the current work landscape. How are employees feeling? What impact does this have on psychological safety in our organizations? Are there opportunities to improve? The Workhuman research team set out to answer these questions and more in a survey administered to more than 3,000 U.S. workers in March 2021. This report summarizes those findings.

Recommended for you

The Lost Art of the 1:1 Check-in
Building a Feedback Culture That Actually Sticks
Recognizing Across Cultures: Germany
If 10 Historical Leaders Ran Your Recognition Program
Feature Brief: Workhuman for Microsoft Outlook
Internal Communication: Strategy, Channels, and Best Practices for HR Leaders
2026 Workplace Trends to Watch
Congratulations on Not Quitting: Work Service Milestones Deserve Better
Leading Organizational Change Without Losing Your Team
Employee Appreciation Day is over – now what? A manager’s field guide to yearlong gratitude
Human-Centered Leadership: Transformation Through Creativity and Connection

Become a pioneer of the human workplace.

Book your demo today