Audio Version (08:10)
Have you ever had something to say in a meeting, a question, an idea, or even a small concern, but stopped yourself because you were worried about how people might react? Maybe you thought, What if they laugh at me? What if my manager thinks I’m being difficult? What if this comes back to bite me later?
If so, you’ve experienced a lack of psychological safety.
Psychological safety isn’t about fancy HR theories or buzzwords; it’s about how you, as an employee, feel every single day when you walk into work. Do you feel respected, supported, and free to speak your mind? Or do you find yourself biting your tongue, second-guessing your every move, and leaving work more drained than when you arrived?
In today’s article, I’m exploring what psychological safety is, how you can tell when it’s missing, and what drives it.
In the extended YouTube version of this article, I also discuss why psychological safety matters for you. You can watch it here.
What Psychological Safety Really Means
Psychological safety is the sense that you can be yourself at work without fear of negative consequences. It means being able to:
Ask questions without worrying you’ll sound stupid.
Admit a mistake without bracing for punishment.
Share an idea without expecting it to be shot down.
Give feedback or challenge something without being labelled as awkward or “not a team player.”
When psychological safety is present, you feel relaxed enough to focus on doing your job rather than constantly monitoring how you’re coming across. Work feels like a space where you can contribute and grow, not a place where you’re walking on eggshells.
How You Might Feel When It’s Missing
The absence of psychological safety doesn’t always hit you like a lightning bolt. It creeps in gradually. You might notice it in how you feel day to day:
Second-guessing yourself: You rehearse what you’re going to say in your head multiple times before speaking, and often decide not to say it at all.
Anxiety before meetings: You dread team discussions because you don’t know how people will react if you contribute.
Anxiety on the way to work: You have that dread feeling in your stomach (or on a Sunday—I have a video on Sunday Scaries; you can watch it here). You may not even be able to put your finger on exactly what’s wrong.
Hiding mistakes: Instead of admitting when something goes wrong, you quietly fix it and hope nobody notices.
Physical tension: Knots in your stomach, a racing heart, or even headaches before work are common signs.
Exhaustion: Constantly filtering yourself is mentally draining. You may feel wiped out at the end of the day, even if the workload wasn’t huge.
Loss of confidence: Over time, you start to believe your voice doesn’t matter. You question your skills and downplay your achievements.
In short, when psychological safety is missing, work feels unsafe, stressful, and sometimes even hostile.
Why Psychological Safety Is Missing in So Many Workplaces
So, why do so many employees end up feeling unsafe? From your perspective, it might look like “that’s just how my workplace is,” but beneath the surface, there are common drivers.
Command-and-control leadership – Some managers still believe their job is to control rather than to listen. If your boss treats questions as challenges to their authority, you quickly learn to keep quiet.
Blame culture – If mistakes are used against you—whether in performance reviews or as gossip fodder—you’ll naturally try to cover them up. This doesn’t just harm learning; it makes you feel constantly on edge.
Toxic Manager or colleagues – You’ve probably worked with someone who sighs, interrupts, or rolls their eyes when others speak. Even one dismissive teammate can create an environment where nobody wants to stick their neck out.
Lack of awareness – Sometimes managers aren’t malicious. They just don’t realise the impact of their behaviour. A manager who dismisses ideas quickly, doesn’t acknowledge contributions, or constantly interrupts may think they’re being efficient, but the result for you is feeling invisible or undervalued.
Broader cultural factors – Depending on your background, role, or even identity, you may feel psychological safety differently. Gender, race, neurodiversity, or cultural norms about hierarchy can all influence how comfortable you feel speaking up.
Organisational pressure – When companies are under pressure, such as financial cuts, competition, or political agendas, leaders sometimes clamp down on dissent. From your perspective, it may feel like every word is scrutinised, leaving no room for openness.
What If You Recognise These Signs?
If what I’ve described feels uncomfortably familiar, the good news is that you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone. Many employees experience this daily, and it can have a huge impact on confidence, well-being, and even career progression.
But here’s the key thing: while you can’t single-handedly change your workplace culture, you can take steps to protect yourself. I’ve already covered these strategies in detail in my video Being Bullied at Work? Do This. You can watch it here.
Although that video focuses specifically on bullying, the practical steps are just as relevant when psychological safety is missing. Both situations involve feeling unsafe, unsupported, and unsure of how to respond, and the actions I share will help you navigate them with more confidence.
The Wrap Up
Psychological safety might sound like business jargon, but from your perspective as an employee, it boils down to this: do you feel safe being yourself at work, or do you feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells?
If it’s the latter, you’re not imagining things, and it’s not a weakness on your part. The culture you’re in shapes your experience and has a real impact on your well-being, confidence, and growth.
While you can’t fix an unsafe culture alone, you can protect yourself and take back some control. For clear, actionable steps on how to do that, again, I recommend my video Being Bullied at Work? Do This. The tools I share there apply just as much here.
At the end of the day, work shouldn’t feel like a battlefield. You deserve to feel safe, valued, and heard.
What Next?
Again, in the extended YouTube version of this article, I also discuss why psychological safety matters for you. You can watch it here.
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If there are any subjects you’d like me to cover in upcoming content or if you’d like coaching support with anything I discuss in my videos or articles, please email me at info@jobanks.net.
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