Zooming in on Psychological Safety in Virtual Teams
Have you ever logged into a Zoom meeting and felt nervous about sharing your ideas? You might have feared the awkward silence that follows or worried about not being able to gauge your coworkers' reactions. This feeling is not uncommon—I’ve experienced it firsthand.
Now imagine the opposite scenario: you feel excited and confident chiming in, knowing that your contributions will be valued and that any mistakes you make will be seen as opportunities for learning. Even better, what if every member of your virtual team felt this way? This ideal scenario is not a distant dream but a reachable reality through the concept of psychological safety.
As a former elementary school teacher, I often think back to the importance of creating a safe space where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Believe it or not, this principle is equally vital for adults in the corporate world. Across the board, a psychologically safe environment fosters creativity, innovation, and enhances overall team performance.1,2
But how do we achieve this in an online setup, where face-to-face interactions are through a screen? Let’s explore how we can nurture psychological safety within virtual teams to ensure they continue to thrive in our digital age.
References
- Reiter-Palmon, R., & Millier, M. (2023). Psychological safety and creativity: The glue that binds a creative team. The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity and Emotions (pp. 559-576). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009031240.035
- 2. Kim, S., Lee, H., & Connerton, T. P. (2020). How psychological safety affects team performance: Mediating role of efficacy and learning behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1581. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01581
- Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Office of Financial Innovation and Transformation, in collaboration with the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council. (n.d.). How government built this - Strengthening and empowering our people & culture: How psychological safety paves the way for empowerment. Retrieved from: https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fit/blog/psychological-safety.html
- Duhigg, C. (2016, February 25). What Google learned from its quest to build the perfect team. The New York Times Magazine. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html
- Brassey, J., DeSmet, A., & Kruyt, M. (2023, February 13). 4 ways leaders can build 'psychological safety' in their work teams. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/executive-network/insights/4-ways-leaders-can-build-psychological-safety-work-teams
- Clark, T. R. (2020). The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety: Defining the Path to Inclusion and Innovation. United States: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
About the Author
Mariel Guevara
Mariel Guevara is a Junior Research Analyst at The Decision Lab. She is currently pursuing her MA degree in Developmental Psychology at Ateneo de Manila University. She has held several research positions in the past spanning different technology-mediated interventions tackling issues such as substance use prevention, mental health promotion, and civic engagement. She is especially passionate about making mental health services more accessible in the Philippines. In her free time she enjoys playing video games, going on nature walks, and playing sports.
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