Can Employees Ever Really Be Psychologically Safe at Work?

We love to talk about psychological safety in the workplace. It’s the cornerstone of every leadership keynote, HR initiative, and team-building workshop. It's been hailed as the secret to innovation, high performance, and happy teams. But let's consider ………

Can employees ever truly be psychologically safe in a system where one party—the employer—ultimately holds the power to take away the other’s livelihood?

The Illusion of Safety

Psychological safety, by definition, is the belief that you can speak up, make mistakes, raise concerns, or express unpopular opinions without fear of negative consequences—to your status, your relationships, or your job.

But in reality, most workplaces operate on a silent, ever-present contract: toe the line, or risk losing your job. Even in the most progressive organisations, this underlying truth doesn’t disappear—it’s just dressed up in a friendlier brand of capitalism.

So what we often see isn’t true psychological safety. It’s performative safety—a culture where employees feel somewhat comfortable sharing feedback, as long as it’s constructive, diplomatic, and doesn’t challenge the wrong person or idea too directly.

Power Dynamics: The Unspoken Barrier

At the core of this issue is a power imbalance that no ping-pong table or weekly one-on-one can erase. Employers, no matter how well-intentioned, always have the ultimate leverage: the power to fire.

Even in the most “psychologically safe” teams, this knowledge lurks in the background. It shapes how people behave, how much they reveal, and how authentically they show up. Employees calculate risks constantly:

Can I challenge my manager without being labeled difficult?
If I admit a mistake, will I be seen as incompetent?
Should I really give this feedback, or will it hurt my next performance review?

These aren’t the thoughts of someone who feels truly safe. They’re the thoughts of someone trying to survive in a system that says “be honest” but punishes dissent—directly or indirectly.

The Gaslighting of “Safe” Cultures

One of the most damaging consequences of this tension is gaslighting. Companies proudly claim to be psychologically safe. They encourage vulnerability, feedback, and speaking truth to power. But when an employee actually does any of those things—and faces subtle (or not-so-subtle) backlash—they're left questioning their own judgment.

Was I too harsh?
Maybe I should’ve said it differently.
Am I overreacting?

This disconnect between stated values and lived experience creates distrust. It signals to employees that the promise of safety is conditional—and therefore, not safety at all.

So, What Would True Psychological Safety Look Like?

Let’s imagine a world where psychological safety isn’t a buzzword—it’s real. It might look like this:

Job Security Isn't WeaponisedEmployees would know that disagreeing with leadership, making mistakes, or raising concerns would never lead to punitive action. Not just in policy, but in practice.
Accountability Goes Both WaysLeaders would be held to the same behavioural standards as everyone else. If a manager creates fear, dismisses input, or retaliates, there would be real consequences—not just a coaching conversation.
Anonymous Feedback Wouldn’t Be NecessaryIf people feel the need to hide their identity to be honest, your culture is broken. True safety means being able to put your name next to your opinion—without fear.
Transparency Around Power and Decision-MakingCompanies would openly acknowledge the power dynamics at play, instead of pretending they don’t exist. Only by naming the imbalance can we begin to level it—through shared governance, employee-led councils, or at the very least, radical transparency.
Mistakes Are Seen as Data, Not Character FlawsWhen employees mess up, the response is curiosity, not punishment. How did this happen? What can we learn? True safety means detaching mistakes from identity.
Psychological Safety is Measured by Behaviour, Not VibesSkip the feel-good survey results. If people don’t challenge the CEO, question major decisions, or admit they’re struggling—it’s not safe, no matter what the engagement scores say.

Why Most Workplaces Fall Short

You might be thinking: But psychological safety can exist in pockets. Some teams are genuinely safe.

Absolutely. Great managers and strong cultures can build local safety. But unless the system itself supports that safety—legally, structurally, and culturally—it’s fragile. One reorg, one leadership change, or one “difficult” conversation can shatter it.

Psychological safety is not just a cultural issue—it’s a structural one.

As long as an employee’s financial security depends entirely on pleasing the people above them, they will never be able to bring their full, unfiltered selves to work. The stakes are too high.

A Radically Honest Conclusion

So, can employees ever really be psychologically safe at work?

Not fully. Not in the truest, deepest sense. Because safety implies freedom from fear, and in the employer-employee dynamic, fear is always present in some form.

That doesn’t mean we give up. It means we stop pretending, and start redesigning.

If we truly care about psychological safety, we need to do more than ask for feedback or tell people it’s okay to fail. We need to confront the foundations of workplace power, rethink our structures, and maybe—just maybe—accept that the safest workplaces are the ones where people don’t have to work to survive in the first place.

Until then, psychological safety will remain an aspiration—important, worthy, but never quite real.

Want to create a workplace where honesty isn’t a risk, but a right?

It starts with acknowledging the imbalance. And then being brave enough to change it.