Nurturing Psychological Safety for Women in the Workplace

by Team Iamsafeatwork

22-05-2023

Safety

Psychological safety is crucial for working women because it directly affects their well-being, job satisfaction, and overall performance in their careers. In an environment that promotes psychological safety, women can speak up, participate in conversations, and share their opinions. Women are more inclined to participate and make decisions when they can speak up without fear of being judged or retaliated against. There is psychological safety in a workplace when bias and discrimination are openly contested. By allowing women to discuss and report instances of harassment, bigotry, or unfair treatment without worrying about retaliation, it promotes a culture of inclusivity and equity.  The 2022 State of Talent Optimisation Report states that one in four businesses believe psychological safety to be the most important factor in employee retention.  In order to advance gender equality, encourage authenticity and voice, improve well-being and mental health, address bias and discrimination, retain and recruit talent, and empower leadership and teamwork, it is essential for women to feel comfortable in the workplace. It is not only morally correct, but also advantageous for individuals, groups, and society as a whole, to foster an environment where women feel psychologically safe.

Women of race frequently experience stigmatisation in the workplace when they speak up or disagree with management. Working with mostly white people has an emotional and psychological cost for women of colour. Women of colour continue to face disproportionate prejudice and discrimination in the workplace, according to the Women of Colour in the Australian Workplace survey, which was conducted in 2021 found that nearly 60% of those asked said they had experienced bias because of their identify as a woman of colour. Due to worries about unfavourable outcomes, such as retaliation, criticism, or being ignored, women may feel scared or apprehensive about expressing their thoughts, sharing their ideas, or questioning the status quo. Self-censorship and a reluctance to fully participate in debates or decision-making processes might result from this anxiety. Women’s self-confidence in their worth and ability might be damaged by a psychologically unsafe atmosphere. She may begin to question her abilities, expertise, and value as a result of persistent criticism, shaming, or dismissive behaviour, which can cause self-doubt and a reluctance to accept new possibilities or challenges. In order to foster an inclusive and encouraging atmosphere for all female employees, it is critical for organisations to identify and address psychological safety issues in the workplace.

Managers need to create an environment where staff members feel at ease expressing comments and asking questions in a variety of settings, such as meetings, anonymous feedback forms, or work chat platforms that may be less scary for women of colour. Additionally, managers should meet one-on-one with staff members to get their opinions on how they would like their careers to evolve and what new skills they would like to acquire.

A lot of women of colour believe that if they make mistakes at work, they will be stigmatised or even dismissed. Employers and supervisors must set an example by being upfront and honest, humanising the failure experience, and freely admitting their own errors if they want to show others the value of failure. In order for people to perform at their best, the workplace needs to be psychologically safe. They feel comfortable expressing their disagreement with others as well as sharing their thoughts without worrying about being rejected or made fun of. Furthermore, achieving a better result depends on having the ability to respectfully disagree with colleagues. Fostering a secure and welcoming environment for women of colour requires psychological safety. Employers should be worried about employees’ safety if they appreciate and depend on them. In order to support women’s success in the workplace, both individually and collectively, psychological safety is crucial. It is advantageous for individuals as well as for fostering a more creative, successful, and resilient organisation to create an inclusive and encouraging workplace where women feel secure to be themselves. Furthermore, Organisations must designate areas for meaningful employee interaction, not merely on business-related issues but also on issues of identity and culture. Teams can develop relationships based on mutual respect and understanding by doing this and getting to know one another better. This will support the development of trust among all staff members, which is necessary for establishing a psychologically secure work environment.