Thank you Steven Gilles, MPAS, PA-C, NBC-HWC for this beautifully written prompt on "What signals tell you a workplace is, or isn’t, psychologically safe?” At Marathon, we theorize and practice toward a vision where mental and physical health are truly integrated into whole-person health—optimizing employee wellbeing and performance, a win-win for employees and employers. This post is incredibly timely and rich, and it moves us to deepen our reflective listening. How are the small and big decisions we make everyday at work affecting the psychological safety of ourselves and each other? 🌱 What can we do as leaders to lean into this nourishing ground? And what can we do as employees to absorb organizationally-encouraged safety that allows us to show up confidently, openly, and ready to shine at work? 👂 We’d love to hear what you think about psychological safety in the workplace, and what you're doing to encourage it as a contributor or leader.
Family Medicine Physician Associate and NBC-HWC Board Certified Health Coach. Experienced clinician, leader, and educator.
I've had the privilege these past few months of working on my Doctor of Medical Science at Augsburg University. This program has pushed me to think differently about research, understand quality improvement more deeply, and approach professional development more intentionally. I’ve chosen to focus my research on psychological safety in the workplace and wanted to share a few reflections. I’m fortunate to work for an organization, Marathon Health, that actively fosters psychological safety within its own culture. And because we provide on-site and near-site employer-sponsored clinics, we also help our clients build psychologically safe environments for their employees. Our advanced primary care model gives us a unique window into workplace culture. When healthcare is embedded where people work, we don’t just deliver clinical care, we help strengthen cultures where employees feel safe to speak up, ask for help, access resources, and bring their full selves to work. That matters, because psychological safety isn’t abstract, it’s measurable, cultural, and tied to real outcomes. So what does a psychologically safe workplace look like? Research consistently points to core elements like: ⭐ Trust & respect – people can raise concerns without fear of ridicule or retaliation ⭐ Leadership that is clear in expectations but not rigid in hierarchy ⭐ Open communication and feedback that flows both directions ⭐ Safety to learn and experiment, not just perform perfectly ⭐ Everyday behaviors that normalize asking for help ⭐ Systems that make well-being resources accessible and acceptable If you’re reflecting on your own culture, consider questions like: 💬 Do people challenge ideas, or do they stay silent? 💬 Are leaders clear, approachable, and accountable? 💬 Are mistakes used for learning or hidden to avoid blame? 💬 Do employees feel comfortable using health and wellness resources? 💬 Is leadership development open to everyone, or just a few? Psychological safety isn’t just about feeling good at work, it’s a performance multiplier. Organizations with strong psychological safety see better retention, smarter decisions, more innovation, and healthier cultures. And in my own industry, healthcare, we know it also leads to safer care and better patient outcomes. I’d love to hear from others: What signals tell you a workplace is, or isn’t, psychologically safe? #PsychologicalSafety #WorkplaceCulture #SpeakUpCulture #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployerSponsoredCare #OnsiteHealth #WorkplaceWellbeing #FutureOfWork #DMSc #PhysicianAssistant #AugsburgUniversity #MarathonHealth
Physician Assistant /Associate APP Primary Care
1dSystems that practice what policies are in place to make it a safe and supportive work place for all employees . Required training and check- ins for those in management at all levels. Periodic reviews of managers by staff , I firmly believe work place culture or attitudes can be affected by our managers . Policies are there for the right reasons but cannot ensure they're being followed .