Psychological Safety: Two conversations leaders need to get right

In Australia, there has been a lot of talk recently about psychological safety in the workplace. It’s become a hot topic in leadership circles, with organisations eager to create environments where employees feel safe. But if you listen closely, there are two different conversations playing out...

The first conversation is rooted in managing workplace risks to mental health, which one might more accurately (but far less pithily) label as 'psychosocial safety'. The other focuses on team dynamics and interpersonal trust i.e. 'team psychological safety'. While they share some similarities, these two uses of the phrase 'psychological safety' reflect two distinct frameworks—both essential conversations for leaders to have but serving different purposes.

What's the Difference?

Psychological safety and psychosocial safety address different but complementary aspects of workplace wellbeing:

• Psychosocial safety focuses on identifying and addressing systemic risks to mental health that stem from work conditions, such as excessive workloads, poor job design, or toxic relationships. Frameworks like ISO 45003 and codes of practice play a critical role in addressing these risks, offering structured guidance to identify and manage psychosocial hazards, ensure compliance with safety laws, and create a workplace that protects mental health and enables people to thrive

• In contrast, psychological safety, as coined by Amy Edmondson, deals with interpersonal team dynamics, fostering an environment where individuals feel safe to voice ideas, admit mistakes, and engage in constructive conflict without fear of judgment or punishment.

While psychosocial safety creates the foundational conditions for mental health and well-being at work, psychological safety unlocks a team’s ability to collaborate, innovate, and perform at its best. Both are critical for thriving workplaces but serve distinct purposes and require tailored approaches. See my summary in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Psychological Safety vs. Psychosocial Safety

Confusing the Two: Does it Really Matter?

If you ask me.. Yes.

While on the surface the two ideas are similar, the distinction matters. Focusing only on one without the other can result in missed opportunities. For example:

• addressing systemic issues without cultivating trust may leave teams disengaged and silent;

• promoting team openness without fixing structural problems can lead to frustration and burnout.

Recognising the distinction ensures you address both systemic and relational factors, creating a workplace that is both safe and high-performing

Getting the Nuances Right

Early in my career, I had an opportunity to work with a policing organisation as part of our work to develop an integrated approach to workplace mental health. Policing is a unique and high-stakes environment where stress and risk are part of the job. But in this case, there were aspects of the work environment that were amplifying those pressures.

Through discussions with officers and staff, we identified systemic issues contributing to their strain. Workloads were a factor, unpredictable shift schedules, and unclear role expectations were prevalent. Additionally, certain leaders employed outdated command-and-control management styles, leaving junior constables feeling unsupported.

To address psychosocial safety, we conducted an organisational risk assessment to pinpoint key hazards. We implemented measures such as reviewing shift schedules and protecting admin time, and introducing supportive supervisor training to foster a more supportive environment. These changes led to a noticeable decrease in stress levels, with junior constables reporting improved clarity and control over their work.

However, upon revisiting the organisation several months later, we noticed that while systemic risks had been mitigated, aspects of the organisational culture remained unchanged. Junior constables were hesitant to voice concerns about stress, discuss mistakes, or propose innovative ideas, fearing negative repercussions. This highlighted the need to enhance psychological safety within the team.

Collaborating with the leadership team, we focused on building psychological safety. One sergeant became a champion for this change by openly sharing his own challenges in adapting to new systems and practices. He encouraged team members to share ideas and feedback without fear of judgment, and acknowledged junior constables who spoke up about safety concerns or suggested improvements. Over time, trust within the region grew, leading to increased openness and a greater capacity to adapt and innovate in response to challenges.

This experience was an 'aha' moment for me: I realised the critical importance of addressing both psychosocial and psychological safety in high-stress environments like policing. By implementing systemic support structures and fostering a culture of openness and trust, organisations can create conditions where individuals and teams can thrive, even amidst the inherent pressures of their roles.

Is it just about "Being Nice"?

Both psychosocial and psychological safety can often misinterpreted as being about “keeping people happy” or avoiding hard conversations. This misconception can undermine their value and lead to resistance from leaders who fear that addressing safety will come at the expense of performance.

Here’s the reality:

• Psychosocial Safety: It’s not about eliminating all stress, but about preventing unnecessary harm. Healthy levels of challenge and pressure can still exist within a safe environment.

• Psychological Safety: It’s not about avoiding conflict, but about enabling constructive conflict. Psychological safety creates the space for feedback and accountability to thrive.

When these frameworks are implemented well, they support higher standards and stronger outcomes—not mediocrity.

How They Work Together

Although distinct, psychosocial safety and psychological safety are deeply interconnected, as highlighted in the example I used in the beginning of this post:

• Psychosocial Safety as the Foundation: By addressing systemic risks, organisations create the baseline conditions for employees to function without fear of harm.

• Psychological Safety as the Enabler: By fostering trust and openness, teams can maximise their potential to innovate, learn, and support one another.

Bringing the two frameworks together means creating a culture of both care and accountability.

Practical Steps for Leaders

Creating a workplace that promotes both psychological and psychosocial safety requires a combination of systemic action and relational leadership. Here are some practical tips to integrate both:

1. Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries (Psychosocial Safety)

• Define roles and responsibilities clearly to minimise role ambiguity.

• Establish achievable goals and ensure workloads are manageable.

• Provide predictable schedules and recovery time, especially in high-stress environments.

2. Model Vulnerability and Openness (Psychological Safety)

• Admit your own mistakes and share lessons learned to normalise vulnerability.

• Encourage feedback by asking open-ended questions like, “What could we do differently next time?”

• Share your decision-making processes transparently to build trust.

3. Conduct Regular Risk Assessments (Psychosocial Safety)

• Use tools like psychosocial risk assessments to identify hazards such as excessive workload, poor relationships, or toxic behaviours.

• Act promptly to mitigate risks, and communicate changes to your team.

4. Create an Inclusive Environment (Psychological Safety)

• Invite input from everyone, including quieter team members, during meetings.

• Reinforce contributions by acknowledging ideas and following up with actions.

• Ensure all voices are heard by establishing meeting norms like no interruptions.

5. Provide Resources and Training (Psychosocial Safety)

• Equip leaders and employees with training on stress management, mental health awareness, and effective communication.

• Ensure access to support resources such as employee assistance programs (EAPs) and mental health services.

6. Support Constructive Conflict (Psychological Safety)

• Frame disagreements as opportunities for improvement rather than threats.

• Set ground rules for respectful debate and guide conversations to focus on solutions.

• Reward team members for speaking up, even when their input challenges the status quo.

7. Check In Regularly (Both)

• Schedule regular one-on-ones to discuss workload, stressors, and well-being.

• Ask team members directly about how safe they feel to voice concerns or ideas.

• Act on feedback to show employees their input leads to meaningful change.

8. Balance Accountability with Support (Both)

• Hold people accountable for performance while providing the support they need to succeed.

• Give specific, constructive feedback that focuses on behaviours and outcomes rather than personal traits.

• Recognise and celebrate achievements to foster motivation and a sense of purpose.

By combining structural interventions with relational leadership practices, you can create a workplace where your employees feel safe to speak up, take risks, and thrive without fear of harm or burnout. This dual approach will benefit not only individuals but also the team and organisation as a whole.

Wrapping Up

As leaders, we have a responsibility to create workplaces where people feel safe, supported, and able to perform at their best. That means addressing systemic risks while also fostering team cultures of trust and accountability.

If I were to distill it down to two questions, ask yourself:

1. “Are our systems designed to protect employees from harm?”

2. “Do our teams feel safe to share, experiment, and challenge ideas constructively?”

By tackling both psychosocial and psychological safety leaders can create workplaces where well-being and performance go hand in hand.