Perceptions Of Psychological Safety Research Articles

Relationship Between Psychological Safety and Reporting Nonadherence to a Safety Checklist.

Patient safety checklists are ubiquitous in health care. Nurses bear significant responsibility for ensuring checklist adherence. To report nonadherence to a checklist and stop an unsafe procedure, a workplace climate of psychological safety is needed. Thus, an analysis of organizational data was conducted to examine the relationship between psychological safety and reports of nonadherence to the central line bundle checklist. Results showed varied perceptions of psychological safety but no relationship with nonadherence. Considerations for this finding and assessing psychological safety are provided.

Willingness to Share Knowledge: Psychological Safety, Psychological Capital and Trust

Knowledge transfer behaviors of organizational members can be a critical source of competitive advantage for organizations. This study investigates the effect of personal and dispositional factors of employees which may influence employees’ willingness to share knowledge. In a study of over 800 working adults, we found that perceptions of the psychological safety, psychological capital (PsyCap) and affect-based and cognition-based trust influenced willingness to share knowledge. Additionally, affect-based and cognition-based trust mediated the relationships between perception of psychological safety and PsyCap with individual willingness to share knowledge. Limitations and managerial implication are discussed.

Multi-level factors affecting timely electronic documentation of medication administration: a hierarchical linear modeling approach

This study applies a systematic hierarchical linear modeling approach to identify factors impacting timely documentation of medication administration on electronic medication administration record (eMAR) systems. Delayed documentation of medications poses significant risks to patient safety. Multi-level quantitative data were collected from a large urban hospital system, spanning the non-physician clinician workforce across 27 patient-care units. Data suggests the overall perception of psychological safety on one’s unit was a significant predictor of individual clinicians’ timely eMAR documentation. The impact of each clinician’s personal psychological safety was nuanced by his/her patient-care unit and type of hospital. Other characteristics of the provider’s patient-care unit were also relevant. Thus, even though timely eMAR documentation is an individual-level activity, it is predicted by characteristics beyond complete control of the individual. We illustrate the value of applying systematic hierarchical linear modeling approach to better illuminate the problem of consistently achieving timely eMAR documentation across all providers.

To stand back or step in? Exploring the responses of employees who observe workplace bullying.

Bullying remains a pervasive problem in healthcare, and evidence suggests systems in place are not utilised due to perceptions of ineffectiveness and inequity. This study examines bystander responses to bullying and factors that influence decisions to intervene. We explore relationships between bystanders' perceptions of psychological safety across three levels (organisation, supervisor and colleague) and reactions to witnessing bullying. We suggest psychological safety would be positively associated with the decision to intervene. Findings indicate the most pervasive reaction to witnessing incidents of bullying is to discuss with colleagues, a low-involvement reaction. We find perceptions of supervisory and organisational safety/support are positively related to high-involvement decisions such as formal reporting of the incidents, highlighting the importance of support from those in power. However, perceptions of collegial support may lead to low-involvement responses, which risk reinforcing and underpinning dysfunctional organisational dynamics by providing informal social and emotional responses that may substitute more formal organisational responses to this persistent problem. This study highlights the importance of support from individuals in power if bystanders are to feel comfortable making high-involvement interventions.

Mentoring Top Leadership Promotes Organizational Innovativeness through Psychological Safety and Is Moderated by Cognitive Adaptability.

Mentoring continues to build momentum among startups and established enterprises due to its positive impact on individuals and organizations. Unlike previous studies, this research focuses on mentoring higher level leadership, such as the CEO, and demonstrates its unique relationship to organizational innovativeness. Our sample included 200 mentored executives and entrepreneurs who personally identify and exploit opportunities. Our findings confirm that mentoring top leaders positively relates to their perceived innovativeness of the organization and that the relationship is mediated by these leaders’ perception of psychological safety within the organization. Our findings also confirm that the relationship is negatively moderated by these leaders’ cognitive adaptability. The reliability and validity of the results have been proved by using confirmatory factor analysis and advanced regression analytics. As a result, this work demonstrates the value of mentoring top leadership and advocates the importance of establishing a psychologically safe environment to inspire not only top leadership to try new avenues but also for all those within the organization to speak up and speak out. Additionally, our findings encourage organizations to proactively and selectively prioritize mentoring among top leadership, taking into account their differing levels of cognitive adaptability. Finally, further research could focus on how to provide greater support for mentors of higher level leaders.

Information Sharing during Auditors' Fraud Brainstorming: Effects of Psychological Safety and Auditor Knowledge

SUMMARY We investigate the effects of psychological safety and auditor knowledge on subordinates' willingness to share privately known, fraud-relevant information during brainstorming. We test a model illustrating how partner leadership affects subordinates' perceptions of psychological safety (P-S), which then affect brainstorming differentially depending on the level of subordinates' task knowledge. Participants watch a video of a simulated brainstorming session in which we manipulate P-S by altering how the partner communicates. In the more (less) P-S condition, the partner engenders a supportive (non-supportive), non-threatening (threatening) group dynamic and a style that encourages (discourages) idea sharing. We predict and find that less-knowledgeable auditors increase their willingness to share privately known, fraud-relevant information in a more P-S setting than in a less P-S setting; there is no effect of differential levels of P-S on more-knowledgeable auditors' changes in willingness to share such information. This implies the criticality of encouraging team dynamics that engender P-S for less-knowledgeable subordinates. Data Availability: Contact the authors.

SafAIRway: an airway training for pulmonologists performing a flexible bronchoscopy with nonanesthesiologist administered propofol sedation: A prospective evaluation.

Nonanesthesiologist administered propofol (NAAP) sedation for flexible bronchoscopy is controversial, because there is no established airway management (AM) training for pulmonologists. The aim was to investigate the performance and acceptance of a proposed AM algorithm and training for pulmonologists performing NAAP sedation. The algorithm includes using 3 maneuvers including bag mask ventilation (BMV), laryngeal tube (LT), and needle cricothyrotomy (NCT). During training (consisting of 2 sessions with a break of 9 weeks in between), these maneuvers were demonstrated and exercised, followed by 4 consecutive attempts to succeed with each of these devices. The primary outcome was the improvement of completion time needed for a competent airway. Secondary outcomes were the trainees' overall reactions to the training and algorithm, and the perceptions of psychological safety (PS). The 23 staff members of the Department of Pulmonology performed a total of 552 attempts at AM procedures (4 attempts at each of the 3 maneuvers in 2 sessions), and returned a total of 42 questionnaires (4 questionnaires were not returned). Median completion times of LT and NCT improved significantly between Sessions 1 and 2 (P = 0.005 and P = 0.04, respectively), whereas BMV was only marginally improved (P = 0.05). Trainees perceived training to be useful and expressed satisfaction with this training and the algorithm. The perception of PS increased after training. An AM algorithm and training for pulmonologists leads to improved technical AM skills, and is considered useful by trainees and raised their perception of PS during training. It thus represents a promising program.

Inclusive Leadership and Employee's Learning from Errors: A Moderated Mediation Model

Although an increasing research attention has been devoted to learning from errors recently, little is known about the role of leadership plays in promoting employee's learning from errors. In order to fill this void, this study developed a moderated mediation model based on the perspective of cost-benefit analysis to investigate the effects of inclusive leadership on employee's learning from errors and tested this model by data collected at two points in time from 206 employees of more than 80 organizations in a variety of industries in China. Consistent with our hypotheses, the results found that inclusive leadership (measured at Time 1) was positively related to employee's learning from errors (measured at Time 2) and this relationship was partially mediated through perception of psychological safety (measured at Time 2). The results also demonstrated that employee's power distance (measured at Time 1) moderated the direct relationship between inclusive leadership and perceived psychological safety, as well as the indirect relationship between inclusive leadership and employee's learning from errors through psychological safety in such a way that the relationship was stronger when power distance was lower. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications and the future research directions were discussed.

The impact of effort-oriented epistemological beliefs on mentoring support

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of mentor beliefs about effort related to the knowledge and learning process on their extent of mentoring at work, and to determine the role that the mentor’s perception of psychological safety plays in tempering this relationship.Design/methodology/approach– This study was conducted at an 820-member organization maintenance and operations organization consisting of a number of professions in which apprenticeship-style learning is prevalent. Data collection resulted in 570 members self-identifying as having mentored a less experienced colleague. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm that the measurement instrument represents one unified factor, and a structural equation modelling approach was used to assess the relationships among the study’s latent variables.Findings– Results reveal that mentors who hold sophisticated effort-oriented beliefs are more likely to offer psychosocial support to their protégés. Further, although the relationship between effort-oriented beliefs and vocational support is not significant, the mentor’s perception of a psychologically safe work environment significantly moderates both sets of relationships.Research limitations/implications– As approximately 88 per cent of respondents work in service, as opposed to administrative groups, caution should be exercised in generalizing this study’s findings to the general workforce population. Further, the present study did not differentiate mentors who identified a current or previous subordinate as their protégé from those whose protégés were not a subordinate, nor did the authors differentiate formal from informal mentoring relationships. Thus, further investigation is needed to determine whether our hypothesized relationships differ in any unique manifestations of mentoring relationships at work.Practical implications– By providing a better understanding of the relationship between effort-oriented beliefs and mentoring at work, this study may help in the design of more effective mentoring relationships and ultimately enhance knowledge management and workplace learning.Originality/value– There is no previous research that investigates how one’s cognitions about the effort associated with the knowledge and learning process, in particular, influence mentoring at work. This study provides a model for understanding and developing enhanced mentoring relationships, which are considered a critical element of organizational learning.

An examination of the role of psychological safety in the relationship between job resources, affective commitment and turnover intentions of Australian employees with chronic illness

Globally a growing proportion of employees are experiencing some form of chronic illness that may substantially impact on their work role, resulting in perceptions of vulnerability and insecurity. The implications of chronic illness for employees are, however, largely overlooked by researchers and human resource practitioners. This study examines the relationship between job resources, perceptions of psychological safety at work, affective commitment and turnover intentions for employees with chronic illness (N = 92) compared to a referent group of general employees (N = 512). Using multigroup SEM analysis the results demonstrate that psychological safety partially mediates the relationship between job resources and affective commitment for both groups of employees; however, the effect is significantly greater for the chronically ill. An unexpected finding was that the relationship between affective commitment and turnover intentions was stronger for the referent group. The results suggest that the development of a workplace environment characterized by feelings of safety, interpersonal trust and mutual respect will assist in the development of an inclusive organizational climate for this vulnerable group of employees. Our study responds to the call for current theoretical models of work stress and well-being to be more representative and inclusive of marginalized workers, including the chronically ill.

Using workplace changes as learning opportunities

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of how individual characteristics and perceived contextual conditions shape reflection in professional work, particularly in workplaces that provide a variety of work experiences related to changes. The authors examine the effects of personal initiative, self-efficacy and perceived psychological safety in work relations with colleagues and supervisors on individuals’ reflection at work. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 84 client advisors who had recently been affected by major changes in retail banking workplaces participated in the study. The participants completed a questionnaire consisting of instruments to map their self-rated personal initiative, self-efficacy beliefs, reflection at work and perception of psychological safety in work relations with colleagues and supervisors. The data were analysed by performing correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analyses. Findings – The results revealed that both individuals’ personal initiative and self-efficacy significantly positively affect reflection at work. An individual’s perception of psychological safety – particularly among peers – positively predicts reflection. Originality/value – This paper enriches the research on reflection in professional work, particularly against the backdrop of workplace changes. This is done by emphasising the power of individuals’ proactive role and initiative-taking work behaviour; positive beliefs in their own capabilities, e.g. managing the various opportunities involved in workplace changes; and their perception of a psychologically safe environment within a work group that is characterised by interpersonal trust, mutual respect and supportive cooperation.

System Dynamics Understanding in Projects: Information Sharing, Psychological Safety, and Performance Effects

Systems thinking has proven useful in project management planning activities and has been suggested as a critical driver of a range of beneficial organizational behaviors. Yet, empirical evidence on the myriad of ways in which systems thinking can impact internal project dynamics and performance remains limited. This study focuses on one aspect of systems thinking in particular: the ability to recognize and understand the dynamics of systems and their features (e.g., feedback and delay). It makes use of a unique, large‐scale interview data set along with objective and structured survey data drawn from multiple sources associated with supply chain system implementation projects. Analysis suggests that an individual's understanding of system dynamics as well as the similarity of such understanding to that typical of their team is, in fact, a strong predictor of both perceptions of psychological safety and information sharing quality in project work. These outcomes appear to mediate the relationship between system dynamics understanding and performance.

An empowerment model of workplace support following disclosure, for people with MS

Background: Vocational interventions aimed at increasing job retention for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are reliant upon a partnership with a supportive work environment. A better understanding of the types of psychosocial support that are most conducive to retaining employees’ sense of work-efficacy will enhance the success of interventions aimed at reducing workplace barriers to job maintenance. Objective: The objective of this study is to identify the types of psychosocial support that people with MS require post-disclosure, in order to maintain their employment status. In particular, we examined the roles of psychological safety and work-efficacy. Methods: We interviewed 40 employees with MS either individually (n = 25) or within three focus groups (n = 15). These interviews were audio-taped and the content analysed, using an inductive thematic approach. Results: Themes to emerge in organisational responses to disclosure were: a focus on ability (leading to enhanced perceptions of psychological safety and higher work-efficacy) and on disability (leading to diminished psychological safety and reduced perceptions of work-efficacy). Conclusion: Organisational responses to disclosure demonstrating trust and inclusive decision making, and focussing on employee abilities, enhance perceptions of psychological safety at work. This increases the likelihood that employees with MS will retain their sense of work-efficacy and reduce their intentions to leave.

The Impact of Member Emotional Intelligence on Psychological Safety in Work Teams

We use collective induction as a framework for examining the interaction of individual team-member’s emotional intelligence in project teams. Using a sample of 108 project teams, we test the role of team member emotional intelligence in the development of psychological safety, which has been shown to improve team learning and performance. Results suggest that having individuals on the team who have above average emotional perception and emotional management improves member perceptions of psychological safety.

Speaking up in ad hoc multiteam systems: Individual-level effects of psychological safety, status, and leadership within and across teams

Speaking up in high-risk organizations plays a pivotal role in the mitigation of errors and can make the difference between life and death. To date, speaking up has been studied mostly within teams. However, many high-risk organizations rely on the effective collaboration across teams in ad hoc multiteam systems (MTS). This study widens the scope of research from teams to MTS and empirically compares the mechanisms involved in speaking up within versus across teams in ad hoc MTS-aircrews. In a sample of 1490 aircrew members of a European airline, we found that crewmembers’ individual level perceptions of psychological safety mediated both the relationship between status and speaking up and between perceived leader inclusiveness and speaking up within teams. Across teams, however, psychological safety and leader inclusiveness—as perceived by pursers in their role as boundary spanners—showed no effect. Instead, it was pursers’ within-team perceptions of psychological safety that mediated between status and speaking up across teams. Teams in ad hoc MTS may thus serve as safe harbours supporting their members also in interactions across team boundaries. Implications of findings for research on MTS and practical recommendations to improve speaking up within and across teams in ad hoc MTS are discussed.

The Coevolution of Network Ties and Perceptions of Team Psychological Safety

Which comes first—team social networks or emergent team states (e.g., team climate)? We argue that team members' social network ties and team members' climate perceptions coevolve over time as a function of six reciprocal and co-occurring processes. We test our conceptual framework in a 10-month longitudinal study of perceptions of team psychological safety and social network ties in 69 work teams and find considerable support for our hypotheses. Our main results suggest that perceptions of psychological safety predict network ties. The more psychologically safe team members perceive their team to be, the more likely they are to ask their teammates for advice and to see them as friends, and the less likely they are to report difficult relationships with them. At the same time, network ties predict psychological safety. Team members adopt their friends' and advisors' perceptions of the team's psychological safety and reject the perceptions of those with whom they report a difficult relationship. Our framework and findings suggest that conceptual models and tests of unidirectional or team-level effects are likely to substantially misrepresent the mechanisms by which network ties and emergent team states coevolve.

Linking leader inclusiveness to work unit performance: The importance of psychological safety and learning from failures

Despite burgeoning interest in how groups and organizations learn from failures, little is known about how leader behavior influences these learning processes. We analyzed longitudinal data collected at a large hospital and found that leader inclusiveness was positively associated with members' perceptions of psychological safety at Time 1, and that this relationship was stronger for members in low-performing units. Unit psychological safety climate appeared to facilitate learning from failures within the work unit (Time 2), which was positively associated with subsequent unit performance (Time 3).

Safe to Engage: Chronic Illness and Organisational Citizenship Behaviours at Work

AbstractThe aim of this study is to extend current models of employee work engagement to include chronic illness in order to better understand and predict workforce participation for the chronically ill. Using a sample of 604 participants, the current study examined the relationship between work engagement, perceptions of psychological safety at work and the performance of organisational citizenship behaviours for employees with chronic illness (N = 92) compared to a referent group of general employees (N = 512). Results indicate that for chronically ill employees, psychological safety partially mediates the relationship between engagement and the performance of organisational citizenship behaviours. These results suggest that the development of a workplace environment characterised by feelings of safety, interpersonal trust and mutual respect will foster the performance of engaged work behaviours for a group of employees vulnerable to the experience of a reduced sense of personal efficacy in the workplace and consequent premature retirement.

Leader personality traits and employee voice behavior: Mediating roles of ethical leadership and work group psychological safety.

The antecedents and consequences of ethical leadership were examined in a study of 894 employees and their 222 immediate supervisors in a major financial institution in the United States. The leader personality traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness were positively related to direct reports' ratings of the leader's ethical leadership, whereas neuroticism was unrelated to these ratings. Ethical leadership influenced followers' voice behavior as rated by followers' immediate supervisors. This relationship was partially mediated by followers' perceptions of psychological safety. Implications for research on ethical leadership and means to enhance ethical behavior among leaders and nonleaders are discussed.

Learning behaviours in the workplace: The role of high‐quality interpersonal relationships and psychological safety

AbstractOrganizational learning is an important means for improving performance. Learning is a process, that is, often relational in the sense of relying on interactions between people to determine what needs improving and how to do it. This study addresses the question of how the quality of work relationships facilitates learning behaviours in organizations through the ways it contributes to psychological safety. Data collected from 212 part‐time students who hold full‐time jobs in organizations operating in a wide variety of industries show that capacities of high‐quality relationships (measured at time 1) are positively associated with psychological safety, which, in turn, are related to higher levels of learning behaviours (measured at time 2). The results also show that experiences of high‐quality relationships (measured at time 1) are both directly and indirectly (through psychological safety) associated with learning behaviours (measured at time 2). These findings shed light on the importance of quality relationships in the workplace for cultivating and developing perceptions of psychological safety and ultimately learning behaviours in organizations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.