Psychological Safety At Work (small actions you can take with your team today)

Alison Butler
Sep 5
3 min read

Updated: Oct 31

I feel like psychological safety at work can feel daunting in terms of "what to do", so I created a list of small actions you can take with your team today to move the needle forward.

This year I've been helping some workplaces further develop psychological health and safety initiatives. This is such a broad topic and we've been working on things like workplace surveys, committee recruitment and development, policy review, training, communications etc. It's really rewarding to be a champion in helping you move things forward, especially when everyone is stretched so thin in their current roles. Psychological health and safety is too important to do "off the side of your desk" and we have to start somewhere, so why not right here!

Quick Wins (1–2 minutes)

“I don’t know” moment → Admit something you don’t know and invite the team to help figure it out. Shows vulnerability and normalizes not having all the answers.
Reverse check-in → Instead of asking your team how they are, ask: “What’s one thing I could do differently this week that would make your work easier?”
Celebrate a small risk → Publicly thank someone for speaking up with a new idea, even if it wasn’t used. Highlight courage, not just outcomes.
Name the elephant → Bring up something you suspect people are hesitant to say (“I know this deadline feels tight, let’s talk about what support you need”).

Playful/Creative Gestures

Failure bucket → Share one recent mistake of your own and what you learned, then invite others to add theirs anonymously on sticky notes. Celebrate learning, not perfection.
Two hats meeting → Start a meeting by saying: “For the next 5 minutes, everyone gets to wear their wild idea hat. No wrong answers.”
Gratitude shoutout wheel → Spin a wheel (digital or paper) with team names. Whoever it lands on, the group names something they appreciate about that person.
Curiosity card → Ask a random “curiosity question” (like “What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn?”) to model genuine interest in people beyond their role.

Routines to Try Today

Silent brainstorm → Give everyone 3 minutes to write their ideas on sticky notes (or chat box) before sharing. Prevents the loudest voice from dominating.
Safe word for meetings → Create a phrase (like “Let’s rewind” or “Time-out”) that anyone can use if they feel uncomfortable or need clarification.
Weekly “what I learned” round → Ask each person to share one lesson (not accomplishment). Shifts culture toward growth.
No-repercussion question → End every meeting with: “What’s one question we didn’t ask today that we should have?”

Personal Touches

Coffee curiosity → Schedule one 15-minute “curiosity coffee” with someone on your team and only ask questions (no updates or tasks).
Human first check-in → Start a meeting with: “What’s one word that describes your energy today?” No judgment, just listening.
Shared playlist → Invite everyone to add a song to a “team playlist.” It humanizes people and creates micro-bonds.
Model visible boundaries → End a meeting by saying: “I’m logging off now and won’t check emails until tomorrow.” Demonstrates respect for balance.