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Cultivating Psychologically Safe Workplaces in 2025 – by Dr Angie Montgomery

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Cultivating Psychologically Safe Workplaces in 2025

Dr Angie Montgomery
CEO & Co-founder, InCheq

As businesses continue to evolve in 2025, fostering workplaces where employees feel safe to express themselves, share ideas, and take risks without fear of judgment or punishment is more important than ever before. Psychological safety, a concept gaining increasing attention, lies at the heart of organisational success, employee wellbeing, and innovation.

This article explores the concept of psychological safety, its impact on neurobiology, and the strategies employers can adopt to create environments that not only prevent harm but also promote thriving workplaces.

What Is Psychological Safety?

The term psychological safety has become a buzzword in workplace discussions over the past few years. Yet, there remains confusion about what it truly means and why it is crucial in professional settings.

Coined by Harvard Professor Amy Edmondson, psychological safety refers to the perception that the workplace is an environment where one can voice their ideas, admit mistakes, and take risks without fear of ridicule, punishment, or humiliation.

It’s not about being nice all the time or cruising at work; rather, it’s about fostering trust and openness to achieve the best outcomes.

In a psychologically safe work culture, employees are comfortable asking questions, offering new ideas, and acknowledging errors. These behaviours are essential for learning, innovation, and adaptability. Curiosity and creativity, which are key drivers of progress, thrive in an environment where fear of failure does not inhibit new ideas. Without psychological safety, teamwork becomes a struggle, and opportunities for growth are lost.

The Neurobiology of Safe vs. Unsafe Work Environments

The Stress Response in Unsafe Environments

To truly understand the importance of psychological safety at work, we can delve into its impact on our neurobiology. The human stress response (commonly referred to as the “fight, flight, or freeze” response) is a critical starting point.

When people perceive a threat, their bodies activate this survival mechanism, triggering a cascade of physical and mental changes. Symptoms such as increased heart rate, muscle tension, and rapid breathing are well-known. These changes prepare the body to either confront the threat or escape from it.

However, stress impacts more than just the body. It fundamentally alters brain processing. High levels of stress hormones like cortisol divert blood flow away from the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s rational thinking center) to the brainstem (the survival center). As a result, essential functions like working memory, attention, behavioural regulation, and perspective-taking are impaired. Instead, hypervigilance, defensiveness, and impulsivity take over.

Employees who feel under threat, whether from criticism, exclusion, or humiliation, are less likely to collaborate effectively or share ideas. Instead, self-preservation becomes the priority, to the detriment of productivity.

The Brain in Safe Environments

In contrast, psychologically safe workplaces foster a sense of trust and security, allowing employees to remain in a calm, focused state. Without the constant activation of the stress response, workers can access higher-order cognitive functions critical for creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Moreover, safe environments encourage the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which enhance emotional resilience, motivation, and wellbeing.

Teams operating in such conditions are more likely to:

– Collaborate openly and effectively.

– Share innovative ideas without fear of rejection.

– Provide and accept constructive feedback.

– Learn from mistakes and adapt to challenges.

In short, a psychologically safe workplace is not just a “nice to have”. It’s a competitive advantage that drives organisational success.

Strategies for Cultivating Psychological Safety

Creating a psychologically safe workplace requires intentional effort at both the team and organisational levels. Leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone and fostering a culture of openness and respect. Here are key strategies to enhance psychological safety:

Set a Tone of Respect and Appreciation
Interpersonal communication is a cornerstone of psychological safety. Leaders who model respectful interactions will encourage the same among team members. This looks like:

– Avoiding dismissive or belittling language.

– Respecting diverse perspectives and experiences.

– Encouraging inclusive conversations that value every voice.

Create Opportunities for Feedback and Collaboration

Regular opportunities for employees to share their ideas, voice concerns, and ask questions build trust and openness. Consider:

– Implementing structured feedback forums, such as team brainstorming or retrospectives. 

– Encouraging collaborative decision-making processes.

– Ensuring that all employees feel heard and valued.

Model Vulnerability

Leaders who admit their mistakes and seek feedback set the stage for others to do the same. Vulnerability fosters trust and demonstrates that it’s safe to take risks and learn from errors.

Reinforce a Growth Mindset

Cultivate a culture that values learning and development. Encourage employees to embrace challenges as opportunities to grow by:

– Providing access to coaching, mentoring, and professional development programs.

– Recognising and celebrating efforts to learn and improve.

– Normalising constructive feedback as part of growth.

Recognise and Reward Contributions

Acknowledging employees’ efforts and achievements reinforces a sense of value and belonging. Recognition can be formal, such as awards or bonuses, or informal, such as verbal praise during meetings. Both forms contribute to psychological safety by affirming that employees’ contributions matter.

The Case for Psychological Safety in 2025

The modern workplace demands adaptability, innovation, and resilience. Organisations that prioritise psychological safety are better equipped to meet these challenges head-on. In an era marked by rapid change and increasing complexity, businesses must create environments where employees feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work.

The benefits of psychological safety extend beyond individual well-being. Teams that feel safe are more collaborative, innovative, and productive. They are also more likely to retain top talent, as employees gravitate toward workplaces that prioritise respect and inclusion.

For employers, investing in psychological safety is not just a moral imperative but a strategic one. By fostering cultures of trust and openness, businesses can unlock the full potential of their workforce, driving sustained success in 2025 and beyond.

About the Author

Dr Angie Montgomery is the co-founder and CEO of InCheq, a registered Health Psychologist and Workplace Psychological Health and Safety expert.

Angie bridges the gap between mental illness prevention, workplace mental health and Work, Health and Safety legislation to create meaningful and impactful change for people and organisations.

She is passionate about the role of data to inform the development of strategic initiatives, formulating best practice approaches, and the importance of contributing to knowledge and research.

Angie believes that data and technology has the potential to assist us in improving the mental health of workers, at scale.

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Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

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Employee and Organizational Well-being: A Burnout Prevention Strategist’s Guide

Companies everywhere are looking for innovative ways to improve workplace health and wellness. An epidemic of burnout and quiet quitting have companies searching for solutions that support employee well-being and, ultimately, the organization’s health. 

Here are 3 practical and efficient solutions to help you tackle burnout and promote employee and organizational well-being.

1. Create a psychologically safe environment to talk about stress and burnout

Fear is the primary reason employees do not talk to their manager about the stress and burnout they’re experiencing. Fear of losing their job. Fear of losing respect. Fear of losing the next big promotion.

Fear is a powerful motivator. Even though employees are stressed, worn out, and burnt out, they’re afraid to talk about it. Rather than finding long-term solutions to their health and productivity challenges, they give as little as possible as they work on fumes.

The first step toward building a sustainable workplace health and wellness plan is to develop a psychologically safe environment to discuss stress, challenges, and burnout.

So how do we do this? By modeling from the top. Leaders must demonstrate that it’s not only safe to talk about stress but encouraged. Here are a few ways leaders can model appropriately.

  • Update your out-of-office reply and email signature to clearly state your working hours. Perhaps include a statement, such as, “I will respond to your email within my working hours. There is no expectation to reply until you are at work.”
  • Send an email to employees at the end of the day, saying, “I’m heading home from work now to be with my family. I hope you enjoy your evening as well.”
  • Post as much on your social media channels about your rest life as your work life. Make work-life balance something to celebrate.

2. Train managers to have emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports

Most managers care for those they supervise and want to see them succeed. Part of doing so is having conversations about productivity, effectiveness, and stress management.

During a recent workshop I presented to leaders of a national, multi-site corporation, a leader mentioned having gone to counseling to help with her stress levels. I asked what made her feel safe to not only access her benefits package counseling resources but share having done so with colleagues. She said her manager shared a story of a time of great personal stress and the impact a counselor had on her well-being. When her manager admitted reaching out to a counselor, she felt it would be ok to do so herself, which was a life-changing decision.

Here are a few recommendations for how managers can authentically open the wellness conversation while prioritizing effective work practices and employee well-being.

  • Help employees understand expectations, discuss which tasks are high, medium, and low priority, and train employees to manage their day and week based on importance. While workloads may be high, acknowledging them and helping employees prioritize their work can create a huge advantage.
  • Ask those you manage how they are doing, and genuinely listen. Respond with empathy to show you truly care. Ask what you can do to help.
  • Authentically share how you deal with stress, including the resources that have helped you most.
  • You will build trust by seeking to understand your direct reports’ struggles and responding with empathy. When employees trust your intentions, they are more likely to engage with resources provided by the company.

3. Implement quarterly burnout assessment checks to improve employee wellness and productivity.

A challenge of workplace wellness programs is collecting data on the plan’s efficacy. For example, how do you know what is causing employees the most significant workplace stress and which initiatives are making a difference?

Research shows six factors create burnout in an organization:

  • Overwhelming workload
  • Lack of control
  • Lack of reward
  • Lack of community
  • Lack of fairness
  • Conflicting values

These factors speak to company culture and cannot be fixed with a simple day off. Organizations often do not see a significant return on investment with their workplace wellness plans because initiatives do not address the root causes of employee stress.

By identifying and understanding the six factors affecting employees, organizations can manage workplace stress with short-term resource solutions and long-term culture design.

Why burnout is relevant now

I have created the most comprehensive Burnout Assessment available and offer it free to companies worldwide. The assessment provides both a Professional Profile based on the six factors noted above and a Personal Profile, evaluating the effects of burnout on a person’s health.

Companies across sectors use the Burnout Assessment, including corporate, non-profit, healthcare, and educational institutions. It provides a free, people-focused, data-driven assessment to evaluate critical cultural factors causing workplace stress.

Start with leadership

Download the free Burnout Assessment. 

  • Engage the leadership team, which, depending on your organization, may mean the C-Suite, Directors, or senior management team. Explain that the company is looking to strengthen its workplace health and wellness plan and will use the Burnout Assessment to evaluate employee stressors and risks. The leadership team will be the first to complete the assessment to create an authentic and psychologically safe process for all.
  • Ask leaders to complete the assessment, and be prepared to share their results during the next leadership team meeting.
  • During a leadership meeting, ask questions about what it felt like to complete the assessment, what the outcomes represent, and how to have psychologically safe and emotionally intelligent conversations with direct reports once the Burnout Assessment is implemented company-wide.

Implement the Burnout Assessment company-wide

  • Have managers send the Burnout Assessment to those they oversee, explaining the company’s vision to strengthen workplace health and wellness.
  • Invite direct reports to complete the assessment and prepare to discuss the results in a one-on-one meeting. I recommend asking employees to disclose their Professional Profile only, which will give you the data you’re looking for, as the Personal Profile may feel too personal and private.
  • Ask employees thoughtful questions, such as, “What did you notice?”, Do you have any concerns?” and “What changes would help you?”
  • Offer support and resources to address the challenges exposed by the assessment. Point to company workflows and automation, benefits packages, and employee assistance programs.
  • Re-evaluate quarterly and compare results to see where improvements have been made and what cultural shifts need to happen.

Over time, you will notice themes and patterns emerging as you implement the Burnout Assessment across your organization. You may find that certain factors arise in specific departments within the company, allowing you to address issues specifically and accurately. Because ultimately, happy, healthy employees create healthy organizations that thrive.

About Bonita Eby

Bonita Eby is a Burnout Prevention Strategist and CEO of Breakthrough Personal & Professional Development Inc., specializing in burnout prevention and wellness for organizations and individuals at the intersection of health and leadership development.

Download your free Burnout Assessment today.

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Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

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Simple and Efficient Wellness Initiatives: The Biz Latin Hub Story

We asked HR and business leaders around the world the all-important question of how their workplace wellness initiatives are impacting their workforce. Among our responses, we received this wonderful piece of insight from Craig Dempsey, and we just had to share all that Craig had to say about their simple and efficient wellness initiatives at Biz Latin Hub!

At Biz Latin Hub, we make every effort in order to ensure our employees feel comfortable whilst working in the office. For the past few years, we have constantly been implementing and improving these processes for the benefit of all our staff.

Clean, tidy and well-decorated offices

Firstly, we believe it is essential to maintain a high level of cleanliness at all times. We have someone in charge of that mission throughout the working day. 

We also keep the office bright and colorful, which has an important impact on morale. There are paintings spread around the office and plants for additional color. As well as being decorative, plants improve air quality, are a source of well-being, and also improve the productivity of employees.

In addition to our efforts to boost morale, we provide our employees with high-quality technology and working materials so they can provide a top-class service to our clients.

Balanced and healthy diets

Regarding nutrition, I believe a healthy and balanced diet is essential in order to be proactive and energetic. 

The majority of employees start working by 9 am, so they should have time to get up a little early and have a good breakfast (the most important meal of the day?)

At the workplace, we then provide fruit baskets daily to keep everybody in good spirits and full of energy (citrus fruits, bananas, apples). 

We also provide several types of tea and coffee (as any good office should) to stay alert throughout the day and a water cooler, so everyone stays hydrated. In addition to the pleasure that hot drinks provide, they can also boost intellectual and physical capacity.

Like most companies, we have a small lunch room with cutlery, plates, cups, microwave and many other things that could be useful for our employees and their well-being.

Everyone is free to have snacks or eat outside in the sunshine. Our employees have the freedom to take their breaks when they so desire and are therefore not forced to have a heavy lunch to keep them going through the day.

A united team goes the extra mile

In relation to corporate culture, our devoted HR team is constantly adding more and more events to the staff calendar. 

We organize team-building events to strengthen bonds and improve team cohesion so all employees can get to know their co-workers more deeply. 

In addition to this, we celebrate milestones with enthusiasm and with the whole team. For example, we recently celebrated the company’s 8th anniversary, and the atmosphere was amazing. These events allow the team to spend lots of pleasant time together whilst at work.

Sometimes, after certain events or by the request of an employee, we will organize team meals that everyone is invited to after a day at the office.

We also provide access to workshops such as language classes, photography classes, and sports events.

Our employees have access to training throughout the year and the possibility to progress to more important positions within the company, especially management positions.

Thanks to all of this, everybody’s sense of belonging becomes stronger and our offices at Biz Latin Hub offer a great social climate.

Hybrid work to satisfy everyone

This highlights a very topical subject that, since the Covid-19 pandemic, has affected many workplaces.

I think it is important for everyone to be able to balance their family and professional life. Remote working or hybrid work allows for more flexibility and suits many people.

According to a recent study, about 80% of employees worldwide have found a better balance between these two important parts of their lives since starting hybrid/remote work agreements. 

This can also generate better productivity in some cases and even reduce levels of stress. 

As it often is in big cities, a significant part of our team lives a fair distance from the office. Travel time is greatly reduced by working remotely, and it allows them to save money on top of that. This time and money can then be used for other parts of their lives, further improving their work/life balance. This is an excellent compromise and many of the team have expressed positive opinions on our recently developed hybrid work strategy. 

This being said, some people prefer to work from the office, which is fully understandable, whether it is for social reasons, communication, or something else. In our case, most of the employees come in 3 days a week to the office and then work from home for the rest of the week. Obviously, there are some exceptions depending on the needs of the employee. On Fridays, we usually ask everybody to come into the office as we often hold important meetings and/or celebrations at the end of the working week.

I personally prefer to be working in the field with my collaborators. It saves me from being on my computer all day. At the office, our computers are programmed to change color after 5:30 pm, so our employees don’t work overtime and it prevents eye strain. 

To Sum It Up

In conclusion, we understand that there is a strong correlation between productivity, motivation, and well-being at work. Therefore, we do our best to repeatedly improve our health and well-being initiatives and enact them to form a workforce that consistently improves their state of mind and their ability to thrive at work.

Craig Dempsey is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Biz Latin Hub Group

About Craig Dempsey

Craig Dempsey is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Biz Latin Hub Group, an organization dedicated to assisting investors in Latin America and the Caribbean via the likes of company formation and tax advisory, as well as through recruitment and payroll outsourcing. 

Craig holds a degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in project management, and other certifications covering logistics, personal management, and government administration. Craig is an Australian military veteran and has been deployed overseas on numerous occasions. He is also a former mining executive with experience in Australia, Canada, Colombia, and Peru.

Craig is based at the BLH head office in Bogota, Colombia.

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3 Incredible Stories: How Your Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Employees

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Michelle Holland Executive Director at SynergyIQ
Rebecca Kraut Mtime
Marty Spargo Owner, Reize Club

3 Incredible Stories: How Your Health and Wellness Initiatives Impact Employees

Not every employee has the time, luxury, or courage they need to address their health and wellness challenges. The reasons could be many, from the lack of support at home to no means of access to the right kind of attention they need. 

At the workplace, though, it may be easier for employees to seek help, especially when help is readily available through professionals, and there is a set process in place that revolves around the health of the employee at all times. 

So how does this effort shown by an employer affect the lives of employees? Does this effort have an effect on performance and productivity too? Is this effect positive or negative? After all, every initiative, no matter how small, requires employees to spend time away from their work desks! 

To bring to you a well-rounded opinion that is not just based on our team’s insights alone, we bring to you a post that addresses this all-important topic of how your health and wellness initiatives are impacting employees through three beautiful workplace stories that help us drive home our point.

The SynergyIQ Story: When an Hour of Fun does a Lot More than You Think!

Michelle Holland, Executive Director at SynergyIQ, shares quite a unique solution that may seem like only a fun one but evidently has far-reaching positive consequences. “Each and every week, we make time to have some fun together at SynergyIQ. It’s called our hour of silly, and it’s a non-negotiable for us. Even on our busiest days!” So doesn’t this have an impact on productivity? An hour sure sounds like a lot when you are pursuing targets that only seem to be further away every time you look up. “Sure, we lose a bit of productivity during the hour of silly, but we make up for that in the hours that follow,” shares Michelle. So what does this hour (which is beginning to sound even more interesting with each passing minute) include for employees?

Michelle Holland Executive Director at SynergyIQ

In terms of some of the things we’ve done during that hour of silly, we’ve had dogs visit the office (no explanation needed!), we play games which help us understand each other’s HBDI thinking styles, team quizzes and more. Some activities are more light-hearted, others are more about getting to know each other.

Michelle Holland
Executive Director at SynergyIQ

“In terms of some of the things we’ve done during that hour of silly, we’ve had dogs visit the office (no explanation needed!), we play games which help us understand each other’s HBDI thinking styles, team quizzes and more. Some activities are more light-hearted, others are more about getting to know each other,” she says. 

And has there been any notable impact on employees? Well, of course participating in such a fun-filled hour sounds like a great experience but does it have any real impact on the ground? “Attendance in the office increases on these days, as does output afterwards. Happier employees are healthier and more engaged,” reveals Michelle, and we have to agree. 

“So if you’re not having any fun at work, we suggest you start an hour of silly of your own,” advises Michelle, and going by the experience she shares, there’s every reason for you to carve out your own ‘hour of silly’ at the workplace too. Hey, don’t you forget that health and wellness is also about being playful!

The mtime Story: Where Moncierge Well-being Surpasses Client and Business

mtime

At mtime, the employee is at the top of every pyramid, and that’s how this unique business operates. Rebecca Kraut reveals how they go one step ahead to protect the interests of their employees and show them they care for their own. 

“We run what we call ‘culture of care’ at our business. This is specifically designed to support our employees (moncierges, our name for our in-home carers) and one of the most controversial initiatives we have is taking feedback from our employees on our clients; and letting them rate the experience of working with the family!” reveals Rebecca. 

But why would this be controversial? After all, although not prevalent, employers seeking employee feedback on clients isn’t a practice that’s unheard of. What Rebecca reveals next throws some light on this. 

“The feedback our employees provide can, at times, lead to us firing the clients because we don’t compromise on the rules of culture of care for our employees and the customer is not always right!”

Does that sound like something your business would do? If it does, take a bow! Because we all know that very few businesses out there would go as far as firing clients only to protect their employees. But that’s Rebecca and the rest of the mtimes team manage to do, and the outcome of this commitment towards employee well-being is evident.

While this take was all things fun, there is another angle to paying attention to the mental health of employees. For, at times, these interactions can help peers or leaders uncover tragic personal lows some of your employees may be experiencing in their lives. 

Marty Spargo, owner of Reize Club, has one such highly impactful story to share.