Defining Psychological Safety

The following definitions demonstrate how different academics and theorists are conceptualizing psychological safety:

"A psychologically safe and healthy workplace is one that promotes employees’ psychological well-being and does not harm employee health in negligent, reckless or intentional ways."
                                                                                                             GuardingMinds@Work

"Psychological safety describes the individuals’ perceptions about the consequences of interpersonal risk in their work environment. It consists of taken-for-granted beliefs about how others will respond when one puts oneself on the line, such as by asking a question, seeking feedback, reporting a mistake, or proposing a new idea. One weighs each potential action against a particular interpersonal climate, as in, “If I do this here, will I be hurt, embarrassed or criticized?” An action that might be unthinkable in one work group can be readily taken in another, due to different beliefs about probable interpersonal consequences."
                                                                                                              Amy C. Edmondson

“To create a psychologically safe environment requires at a minimum that you establish trust, boundaries, and a sense of control in the team or social environment.”
                                                                                                               Robert J. Marshak