In order to boost productivity, the mental well-being of a team should be a top focus while managing or leading it. Because most employees spend the majority of their day on work-related duties, it is your responsibility as a leader to make their work environment as psychologically safe as possible.
Because people are mostly working from home, the epidemic has sparked a new way of working and may have caused a lot of concern. Because of the uncertainties of the current situation, or the possibility of another transitional time for your company, the mental health of your employees is more vital than ever.
What exactly is psychological security?
Psychological safety refers to the assumption that new ideas and concerns expressed in the workplace will be treated with shame and punishment, resulting in an employee’s loss of well-being. Creating a safe environment where people can make errors and upskill in a healthy way will not only result in a higher-performing team, but it will also lessen the impact work has on people’s mental health.
With hybrid working and working from home becoming more common, creating an open place for communication can help your employees feel safe and confident in approaching you with any issues. The importance of psychological safety will provide you with a vital insight of the best ways for your team to work together and what types of working structures function best and which ones do not.
Self-assessment
Analyzing your leadership style is essential for developing psychological safety. You’ll be able to alter your reaction strategy to varied challenges and issues as a result of this.
Even when working remotely, managing your team is not only detailing the responsibilities for the day, but also being conscious of your response style and how you may better assist your team.
You can start defining your response style by taking a personality test and seeing what you’re likely to do in different situations. Thai will, in turn, enable you to overcome any unconscious prejudice you may have when it comes to particular persons expressing specific ideas, and will, in the long run, make you a more open-minded leader.
Communication tailored to the individual
As a leader, actively asking questions from your team is a wonderful way to open a line of communication and think about your team’s requirements in a more individualized way. When it comes to personal development assessments or just normal one-on-one interactions, whether by video conference or in an office setting, this is critical.
For example, if you know that the time leading up to a personal video conference generates anxiety in a team member, quickly summarizing what the conversation will be about may help to alleviate the worry of waiting for your team member. A straightforward solution and a tailored approach to meeting the needs of that specific employee.
Make an environment that is conducive to the exchange of ideas
Appreciating fresh ideas and thoughts is a terrific method to encourage your team members to participate in more open discussions and provide more input. Setting out time for fresh ideas and providing a venue for debate can allow your team to share what has worked well and what they have discovered could work even better.
Creating a psychologically safe work environment includes creating a safe area for conversation and ideas.
Transparency is key
Making errors is human nature, and being open and honest about yours may foster an open and comfortable environment for your colleagues to do so as well. Opening the floor to discussion can help your team identify problems and upskill in a more efficient and effective manner.
Encouraging your team to ask questions and make use of their collective knowledge is a fantastic way to make them feel at ease when discussing their performance. Not only are you being transparent about your predicament, but you’ve also created a catalyst for your staff to constructively examine their own performance without fear of being judged by you as a leader.
Having a psychologically safe space, whether it’s remote, hybrid, or in the office, is becoming increasingly important for employees, therefore making one is crucial. A productive and communicative team atmosphere can be achieved through promoting open, judgment-free, and honest communication.
In order to build a psychologically secure atmosphere, it’s critical to assess your employees’ requirements and recognize how you operate and respond. Adapting to your team’s digital and physical needs will be a huge benefit for your business.
Thanks to Daglar Cizmeci at Business 2 Community whose reporting provided the original basis for this story.
