Creating and Improving Psychological Safety for Departments and Faculty
Nina Brown Ed.D.
Psychological safety is a team-based phenomenon, according to Porter-Stransky et.al, (2024) whereby group members are empowered to ask questions, take appropriate risks, admit mistakes, propose novel ideas, and candidly voice concerns. Building psychological safety is beneficial for faculty and for their departments to promote a collaborative environment fostering teaching and research. Feeling safe can produce less stress, a healthier work environment, prevent burnout for some faculty, along with encouraging support for faculty productivity. The primary elements for psychological safety in your department using the following scale:
0. Never
1. Irregular
2. Often
3. Frequently
4. Always
There is a paucity of research on how to create psychological safety in academic institutions and this papers focus are ingredients in building a healthy and collaborative environment to ensure psychological safety. Consider the following key elements:
Trust and Respect: Encouraging trust and mutual respect among faculty, staff, and students creates a foundation for psychological safety. Suggestion: Demonstrate acceptance and valuing of diverse perspectives, treat others with dignity, and acknowledge the expertise and contributions of all members regardless of rank.
Open Communication: Promote open communication channels where faculty feel comfortable expressing their opinions, asking questions, and sharing feedback without fear of judgment or reprisal. Suggestion: Apply to both formal (meetings, emails) and informal (casual conversations, feedback sessions) communication avenues.
Risk-taking and Innovation: Encourage risk-taking and experimentation without the fear of failure. Suggestion: Create a culture where faculty feel empowered to explore new ideas, challenge existing norms, and innovate without the fear of criticism or punishment.
Inclusive Practices: Implement inclusive practices that recognize and accommodate the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of all faculty. Suggestion: Actively seek input from underrepresented groups, address biases and stereotypes, and ensure equitable opportunities for participation and advancement.
Conflict Resolution: Establish effective mechanisms for resolving conflicts and addressing concerns in a constructive and timely manner. Suggestion: Best is if your university as an Ombuds and Mediators, but in any case, provide access to mediation, counseling, or other support services to help individuals navigate interpersonal conflicts or challenging situations.
Leadership Support: Ensure that leadership at all levels of the academic department demonstrates a commitment to psychological safety through their actions, decisions, and policies. Suggestion: Leaders should model vulnerability, openness to feedback, and a willingness to admit mistakes to create a culture where psychological safety is prioritized and reinforced.
Clear Expectations and Goals: Provide clear expectations, goals, and performance criteria to help faculty understand their roles and responsibilities within the department. Suggestion: Have written faculty expectations that are reviewed and accepted by the faulty as this clarity can reduce uncertainty and anxiety, fostering a sense of confidence and security among faculty.
Professional Development: Invest in professional development opportunities that support the growth and well-being of faculty, staff, and students. Suggestions: This can include Internal or university training on communication skills, conflict resolution, stress management, and other topics relevant to maintaining psychological safety in the academic environment.
Recognition and Appreciation: Acknowledge and celebrate the achievements and contributions of faculty within the department. Suggestion: Recognize both small wins and major accomplishments helps to foster a culture of appreciation and support, reinforcing the value of each faculty member’s efforts.
Continuous Improvement: Commit to ongoing assessment and improvement of psychological safety within the academic department. Suggestions: Solicit feedback from faculty and staff, conduct regular evaluations of the culture and environment, and implementing changes based on identified needs and challenges. These actions will ensure that efforts to promote psychological safety remain relevant and effective over time.
If your ratings for your department are moderate or low, following are some suggestions for increasing their frequency and improving psychological safety.
- Form a department committee to survey department faculty for their perceptions and suggestions.
- Prioritize the list that emerges to work on and brainstorm how to address these suggestions.
- Propose formal meeting to use modified Robert Rules so that all can be heard.
- Survey faculty on their perceived stress levels in relation to psychological safety in the department.
- Do a literature review on studies about department stress and burnout and their effects on the work and goal of the department.
Creating a psychologically safe collaborative environment is challenging but essential for the well-being of individuals and the success of organizations. By prioritizing open communication, mutual respect, humility, and a culture that encourages taking risks, you not only enhance teaching and research but also drive meaningful transformation across your department.
References
Brown, N. (2002). Working with the Self-absorbed. Oakland CA: New Harbinger Publishers.
Gallo, A. (2023). What is psychological safety? Harvard Business Review.
Porter-Stransky KA, Horneffer-Ginter KJ, Bauler LD, Gibson KM, Haymaker CM, Rothney M. Improving departmental psychological safety through a medical school-wide initiative. BMC Med Educ. 2024 Jul 25;24(1):800. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05794-4. PMID: 39061019; PMCID: PMC11282715.