What is it?

Psychological safety (a concept introduced by Harvard Business School Professor Amy Edmondson) is what separates a positive, engaging and comfortable workplace from one that feels draining or even toxic. It’s all about employees feeling safe to be themselves and able to speak up with ideas, raise concerns, or ask questions without fear of embarrassment, ridicule, or backlash for doing so.

When people feel free to share, they naturally become more connected, productive, and genuinely happier at work. And this isn’t just a “feel-good” concept—it has a real impact on business. Employees who feel heard and valued are more likely to stay, work better, and contribute more fully. That’s why psychological safety is tightly linked to staff retention. When people feel respected and like they truly belong, they’re much more likely to stick around.

This is especially important in industries like automotive, where problem-solving and teamwork are critical. Without psychological safety, mistakes might go unreported and fresh ideas can get forgotten. In contrast, workplaces that lack this kind of environment often leave employees feeling stressed, undervalued, and reluctant to speak up,which, over time, leads to disengagement and staff turnover.

Are you wondering if your team feels psychologically safe?

Here’s a quick check:

Your employees definitely have thoughts and ideas.If you’re not hearing much from them, they might not feel safe enough to share!

How can you ensure that your employees are ‘psychologically safe’ at work?

Encouraging Genuine Employee Engagement

Building a strong, engaged team starts with leadership. Managers play a key role in creating a workplace where every employee – from workshop to front of house – feelsthey have a genuine and safe opportunity to speak up, contribute, and get involved.

A good place to start is during team meetings or check-ins. You don’t need to give a big speech—just open the floor with a few genuine, open-ended questions, like:

  • What help do you need at the moment?
  • What are you noticing in your day-to-day work?
  • Do you have any ideas for improving this process?
  • Is there anything getting in your way?

These questions help spark honest conversations. But asking isn’t enough, as you also need to listen and respond in a respectful, open-minded way. That means no eye-rolling, dismissive comments, or shutting things down. If your team feels judged or ignored, they’ll likely stop sharing. And when people stay quiet, issues go unnoticed and new ideas are lost.

Instead, make it safe to speak up, encourage curiosity, and welcome different viewpoints. When someone – even a quieter team member – shares a thought or shows passion about an idea, treat it as an opportunity to tap into their strengths.

Missed ideas, unspoken concerns, and a silent workshop floor don’t just block progress, but they also affect safety, morale, trust, and performance. Engaging your team helps avoid this.

Here are a few questions worth reflecting on as you think about your own team:

  • Do my employees feel safe and supported when they speak up?
  • When was the last time someone from the floor raised an issue? What happened next?
  • Are we creating a space for quieter voices?
  • Am I showing the openness and curiosity I expect to see in others?

Real engagement doesn’t happen by chance. It takes consistent effort to create a workplace where everyone feels heard, respected, and valued. It isn’t always easy, but we guarantee you that it’s always worth it.

Encourage leaders to be open about their own mistakes and to lead with vulnerability


Inviting your team to engage is important, but real engagement is far more likely to happen when leaders are willing to lead with vulnerability. That means being open about your own mistakes, challenges, or times when you’re unsure. This creates a culture where others feel safe to do the same.

Many people assume strong leaders always have the answers,but some of the most powerful words a leader can say are, “I don’t know,” or “I’d appreciate your help with this.”

Admitting you’re still learning doesn’t show weakness; it shows strength, humility, and a willingness to grow. And that attitude often inspires others to do the same.

When leaders practise what they preach and show their human side, it tells the team, “You don’t have to be perfect to belong here.” That kind of openness builds trust, invites honesty, and helps people feel safe enough to speak up, contribute, and grow in confidence.

Vulnerability isn’t a weakness;it’s a foundation for connection, trust, and stronger engagement across your whole team.

Promote a CONSTRUCTIVE dialogue between teams


One simple but powerful way to build a more inclusive and engaged team is through conversational turn-taking. Managers should make sure everyone (not just the most outspoken) gets a fair chance to contribute. This means asking open-ended questions and giving each employee time to share, helping prevent one or two louder voices from dominating.

Leaders should offer a variety of ways for people to share input through whichever channels are suitable. What matters most is that people feel safe to speak up, and that their contributions are accepted without judgment.

Psychological safety is about honesty and openness,not about being overly nice or always agreeing. Disagreements are fine, as long as they are respectful.

If a hurtful comment or microaggression happens during a discussion, managers should address it directly. Staying silent can damage psychological safety for everyone, not just the person affected. Calling it out shows that respect and inclusion are non-negotiable.

When people feel heard and respected, they’re far more likely to share ideas, raise concerns, and fully engage with their work,and that benefits everyone!

Show appreciation for those employees who ask questions, raise concerns, or bring forward ideas

When an employee speaks up, whether it’s to share an idea, raise a concern, or ask a question, it’s important to thank them—a simple “thanks for sharing that” can go a long way.

People want to feel heard and valued, and showing appreciation even when you don’t fully agree encourages more open, honest communication.This is especially meaningful when quieter team members take the step to speak up. Acknowledging their courage helps build confidence and highlights to others that their voices matter, too.

It’s just as important to celebrate team successes as it is to recognise individual contributions. A positive team environment where everyone feels included, respected, and heard will help people thrive.

Treat mistakes as a learning experience

As an employer/manager, it’s important to give your team the benefit of the doubt when mistakes happen. Instead of jumping to blame, treat mistakes as a chance to learn and improve. This absolutely does not mean ignoring errors, especially in a workshop environment where some mistakes can be dangerous, but it does mean creating a space where people feel safe enough to be honest when things do go wrong.

Responding to mistakes with curiosity rather than criticism will encourage employees to speak up, learn, and hopefully avoid repeating the same issue.

A simple, constructive questioncan make all the difference. For example:

• What can we do to improve?
• How can we adjust the plan?
• Is there anything I can do to support you next time?

These kinds of questions open the door to reflection, improvement, and problem-solving rather than silence, fear or defensiveness.

Research from Amy Edmondson found that workplaces where more safety errors were reported weren’t necessarily making more mistakes. Instead, they had stronger psychological safety, where people felt safe to report issues because they believed it would lead to improvement and not punishment.

On the flipside,a zero-tolerance attitude towards mistakes can discourage fresh ideas and ways of working and hold people back. When employees are afraid of the fallout from making an error, they’re less likely to take risks by sharing new ideas.

Accountability still matters. But the focus should be on what went wrong, why it happened, and how to learn from it, not on placing blame. This kind of approach will not only help avoid repeated mistakes but will also reduce burnout, thus improving staff retention. When people know they’re allowed to learn and grow, they’re more likely to stay and give their best.

Mistakes, especially in environments like a workshop, should always be taken seriously. But it’s exactly because of those risks that you need to build an environment where lessons can be learned safely, openly, and constructively.