When most people think about safety at work, they picture hard hats, steel-tipped boots, and safety goggles. But there’s another kind of safety that’s just as essential: psychological safety—and it’s protected more than you might think.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions in the U.S. That includes protection from retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions, including mental health hazards like bullying, harassment, or chronic workplace stress.
In recent years, OSHA has started to put greater emphasis on mental well-being at work. One key aspect? Psychological safety, which is defined as “the belief that employees won’t be embarrassed or punished for speaking up with questions, ideas, mistakes, or concerns.” Workplaces offering strong psychological safety experience higher employee engagement, more collaborative and effective teamwork, lower turnover and burnout, and better overall performance.
How can you determine if you’re in a psychologically unsafe workplace? Look for these potential signs:
-Learning and professional development are nonexistent
-Unusually low incidents of accidents (may indicate employees are afraid to report incidents)
-Input from employees is discouraged or ignored
-You and your colleagues are afraid of asking for help
-You don’t know where you stand with your boss
-Absence of respect among colleagues and managers
-Poor morale and high turnover
-Competition among team members is more evident than cooperation
-Open and honest conversations with leadership are frowned upon
-Employees are afraid to use their vacation and personal time
In closing, everyone deserves to feel safe at work, physically and psychologically. If your workplace isn’t offering that, you’re not just experiencing a tough environment… you might be dealing with an OSHA compliance concern. Advocating for psychological safety isn’t just about being kind—it’s about creating the conditions where people and businesses thrive.
Shelley Maley, PHR, GCDFDreamcatcher Career Coaching, LLCwww.dreamcatchercareercoaching.com(610) 663-0585
Communications Chairperson – Pennsylvania Career Development Association (PACDA)
Connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://linkedin.com/in/shelleymaleycareercoach