Build a team where everyone feels safe to speak up

Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams, where people feel free to speak up, take risks, and learn from mistakes without fear of blame or ridicule. This check measures how safe team members feel to be themselves, voice concerns, and contribute their best work. By surfacing where trust is strong and where it needs attention, teams can build the conditions for honest dialogue, innovation, and continuous growth. Use the results to spark open conversations and strengthen the everyday behaviours that make people feel respected, valued, and heard.

Dimensions

Psychological Safety

How safe team members feel to take interpersonal risks, share ideas, and be their authentic selves.

  • Learning and Growth

    Mistakes are treated as opportunities to learn rather than reasons for blame.

    • Held against me
    • Sometimes
    • Never held against me
  • Tough Issues

    Team members can openly raise problems and difficult topics without hesitation.

    • Stay silent
    • Sometimes
    • Speak freely
  • Feeling Heard

    Every voice is respected, and no one is dismissed or rejected for being different.

    • Dismissed
    • Sometimes heard
    • Fully heard
  • Risk Taking

    It feels safe to try new approaches and take risks without fear of negative consequences.

    • Too risky
    • Sometimes safe
    • Safe to risk
  • Asking for Help

    Team members can comfortably reach out to one another for support when needed.

    • Hard to ask
    • Sometimes easy
    • Easy to ask
  • Team Support

    Colleagues act with good intent and do not undermine each other's efforts.

    • Undermined
    • Mostly supported
    • Fully supported
  • Skills and Talents

    Each person's unique strengths are recognised, valued, and put to good use.

    • Overlooked
    • Sometimes valued
    • Fully valued

When to use this health check

  • When you want to assess and build trust within a team.
  • After a period of change, conflict, or restructuring that may have affected team trust.
  • As part of a regular cadence to track team culture and openness over time.
  • When team members seem hesitant to raise concerns or share ideas openly.
  • During team formation to set expectations around safety and respect.

Tips & tricks

  • Keep responses anonymous so team members feel free to answer honestly.
  • Share aggregate results openly and invite the team to interpret them together.
  • Focus discussion on behaviours and actions rather than assigning blame.
  • Re-run the check periodically to see whether interventions are improving safety.
  • Pair low-scoring dimensions with concrete team agreements to address them.

Frequently asked questions

What is psychological safety?
Psychological safety is a shared belief that the team is a safe place to take interpersonal risks — to speak up, ask questions, admit mistakes, and offer ideas without fear of being embarrassed, punished, or rejected.
Why does psychological safety matter for teams?
Teams with high psychological safety learn faster, innovate more, and perform better because members feel free to share concerns, challenge assumptions, and contribute their full talents.
How often should we run this check?
Many teams run it quarterly, or after significant changes such as new members, reorganisations, or periods of conflict, so they can track trends and act on what they learn.
Should responses be anonymous?
Yes — anonymity encourages candid responses, which gives a more accurate picture of how safe people genuinely feel.