Today on Safety and Health at Work Day, I’d like to highlight an often overlooked aspect of workplace safety: psychological safety and its crucial role in collaborative environments.
I know that psychological safety emerges through genuine connection. Yet I observe far too often in meetings that time for connection is dismissed as unnecessary. It takes mere minutes to go around a group, allowing each person to introduce themselves and share something related to the meeting topic – this simple practice increases comfort and participation.
In resource sector organisations where physical safety protocols are rigorous and well-established, psychological safety and time for connection often remain underdeveloped. This gap directly impacts team performance, project outcomes, and even physical safety, as team members who don’t feel psychologically safe are less likely to speak up about potential hazards or concerns.
In my workshops, I teach two essential rituals that transform team dynamics:
- The ritual of connection at the beginning of meetings
- The ritual of completion at the end of meetings
These can be implemented through structured or unstructured rounds, depending on how much time you have.
I recently attended a training that helped me with my marketing, and at no point, during the 18 months I was with them, they ever did a structured round to hear from everyone in the room for the purpose of connection. The results for me were:
- It took months before I felt comfortable speaking up or asking questions
- I felt isolated in my challenges
- I never felt safe to be authentically myself
- I ultimately left due to a lack of connection and belonging
By contrast, while working with a large global resource company, I observed a process called Safety Share. At every meeting, someone from the audience shares a safety or well-being lesson they have learnt or something to raise awareness about safety. This has worked well to keep safety consciousness elevated throughout the organisation.
A small process to create connection can build wonders around building safety and trust. If you don’t know how to do that, book a chat here with me to continue the conversation: [Brainstorm call].