Why Brain Safety Matters In Teams

Have you ever hesitated to share an idea at work because you feared being judged? Or felt overwhelmed by an unmanageable workload?

Maybe you were already feeling stressed and someone sent you a text or an email with CAPITALS, that just tipped you over the edge.

These are symptoms of low psychological and psychosocial safety, and they can wreak havoc on team performance. For the brain, safety isn’t just about physical well-being—it’s also about feeling emotionally secure and supported..

Here’s how to foster both types of safety and why they’re essential for a thriving workplace.

Psychological Safety: Trust at the Team Level

Psychological safety is the belief that you can speak up, take risks, and share ideas without fear of humiliation or punishment.

When psychological safety is low:

• The brain perceives threat, and if it feels it’s big enough, a stress response will be triggered (fight, flight, flee).
• Team members avoid speaking up, taking risks, or offering feedback.

How to Build Psychological Safety:

• Encourage Open Dialogue: Invite feedback and create space for honest conversations.
• Model Vulnerability: Share your own challenges or mistakes as a leader.
• Celebrate Diverse Perspectives: Show your team that every voice matters and contributes to success.

For more information, read this blog:

Unlock Your Team's Potential

Psychosocial Safety: Protecting Well-Being at Work

Psychosocial safety goes a step further, addressing factors like workload, role clarity, and organisational support. High psychosocial safety reduces chronic stress, allowing the brain to focus on good quality higher order thinking.

When psychosocial safety is low, stress becomes chronic, leading to:

• Impaired memory, learning, and decision-making.
• Reduced creativity and engagement.
• Burnout and disengagement.

How to Build Psychosocial Safety:

• Monitor Workloads: Set realistic expectations and check in with your team regularly.
• Provide Mental Health Resources: Make support accessible and normalise its use.
• Address Toxic Behaviours: Act quickly to eliminate systemic issues or toxic dynamics.

There is no excuse not to have safe working environments. We have a much better understanding of how to increase the emotional, physical and mental safety of our employees at work. Now we need to actively start to implement these strategies so that all employees can thrive.

Let’s start with the brain to create environments where every mind can thrive.