This may sound familiar: In his first six months at the firm, Aidan is doing forensic analysis of one of the firm’s biggest clients. He encounters an issue that could be costly. But, to raise a red flag, he’d have to share his concerns with a colleague with whom he regularly has process conflicts. Before speaking up, he has to gauge whether he wants to start another disagreement. His dilemma is a common example of how workforce conflict can undermine psychological safety at work.
Workplace conflict affects employees at all levels of an organization. Without psychological safety in the workplace, these conflicts can fester. Read on to learn about psychological safety and how managers can help with conflict resolution to support a healthier environment for employees.
What is psychological safety?
Building on the work of others, Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson coined the phrase “team psychological safety” in 1999. She defined it as “The belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes, and that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking.”
Today, psychological safety is considered foundational to high-performing teams. The benefits include:
- Fewer mistakes
- More innovation and experimentation
- Reduced burnout
- Improved efficiency and productivity
- Increased inclusion and diversity
- Greater shared learning
That’s because in a psychologically safe environment, people feel free to express their thoughts and feelings. They also feel confident their input will be respected and valued, not ridiculed.
In a TEDTalk on the topic, Edmonson provided several examples of individuals who remained silent in their workplace because of a lack of psychological safety. They didn’t want to look ignorant, incompetent, intrusive, or negative. But while impression management works for self-protection, this strategy robs “ourselves and our colleagues of small moments of learning.”
Fundamentals of psychological safety at work
In one McKinsey survey, 89 percent of employees agreed psychological safety in the workplace is essential. But, what does a psychologically safe work environment look like? Every organization will cultivate this safety in its own way, McKinsey authors suggest.
Fortunately, you can find commonalities that help to foster psychological safety. Fundamentally, the workplace needs to be one that:
- Encourages open dialogue. Invite people to speak up, listen actively, share differing opinions, and “brainstorm out loud.”
- Empowers individuals to make mistakes. Embracing fallibility creates more safety to take risks and innovate.
- Models curiosity. Put your people in a learning zone where they can confidently ask questions and try new things.
- Values diverse perspectives. Fostering inclusivity and valuing diverse perspectives helps people develop the sense of belonging that underpins safety.
How conflict undermines psychological safety
Workforce conflict can make employees feel unsafe. When someone is anxious or uncertain, even fearful, this can show up in difficult behaviors at work. You might notice employees are more likely to:
- Take offense
- Blame or judge others
- Doubt their decisions
- Grow defensive
- Distrust their team
The individual may not be doing any of these on purpose. Psychology Today notes that under the stress of conflict, though, our thoughts turn to self-protection. We’ve lost psychological safety at work.
When someone becomes “I-centric” as opposed to “we-centric” business collaboration and communication as well as employee engagement and retention can suffer. That’s why managers need to develop skills to support employee conflict resolution.
The role of managers in employee conflict resolution
A psychologically safe environment is not necessarily a conflict-free workplace. Yet it is one where people can handle conflict effectively. That’s where managers can make a real impact.
Bringing an outside perspective to employee conflict, managers can help employees get unstuck from their “I-centric” thinking. Supervisors may have a better grasp of the bigger picture and be able to encourage the employees to discover a shared purpose. In the example at the start of this article, Aidan and his colleague are focused on their disagreements over how a task should be done. Their boss can point out that the ultimate goal is doing the right thing by the client. The two could shift their attention to that. Then, they may be able to agree on steps to meet this goal effectively.
As manager, you can also foster safety by encouraging open dialogue. Managers can use their position to make sure people feel heard, which can help defuse tensions. Acting as a neutral moderator you can encourage employees to explore their disagreement or the cause of conflict.
Too often, conflict is rooted in one person being unaware of the harm they’ve unwittingly inflicted. By framing the discussion in terms of learning, you can compassionately help the parties imagine a post-conflict future. Having shared their griefs or beefs, the individuals could even come out the other side of the conflict feeling stronger ties.
Demonstrating humility as a manager can also help. When you develop a growth mindset, show curiosity, and a willingness to learn from mistakes, people are more likely to see that conflict as an opportunity for development.
Recognizing that some workforce conflict can be productive, establish expectations about conflict management that prioritize safety. This can mean discussing with team members a process to communicate concerns and setting the stage for respectful, sincere discussion of conflicting perspectives. You also need to be someone who can “disagree without being disagreeable.”
Real results from conflict resolution
This article has established the importance of psychological safety at work. Knowing how to deal with employee conflict can help people feel appreciated, included, and respected at work. Yet managing conflict is a shared responsibility. Our next article looks at conflict resolution at work from the perspective of the employee. Look for specific examples and suggestions for how employees can move forward.
Wondering how things are going in your workplace? An employee pulse survey can help you quickly assess the psychological safety and well-being of your workforce. Respond to problems before they escalate with the insights gained from SogoEX.
