Let's face it — financial uncertainty, continual workforce reductions, and rapidly changing technology all mean that today's employees experience drastically less stability at work than previous generations did. As a result, workers are left feeling like they never really know what's around the corner, and this constant feeling of unease poses a significant threat to their psychological safety. 

A lack of psychological safety at work can wreak havoc on employee well-being and the success of an organization. When people feel threatened, their stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction can be overwhelming. The ripple effects may result in decreased productivity, more frequent absences, and a struggle to adapt to change. 

Companies must create a psychologically safe environment if they wish to avoid these downfalls. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what psychological safety is, why it’s so important, and what you can do to build a foundation of psychological safety. 

Psychological safety is the collective understanding within a team that it's okay to speak candidly and take risks at work without worrying about backlash. In a psychologically safe space, employees can confidently share their thoughts, ask questions, bring up issues, and own their mistakes without the looming fear of judgment or retribution. This level of trust and respect creates a climate where employees can be their authentic selves, leading to better collaboration, trust, and a more engaged team. 

A psychologically safe space doesn't mean everyone has to agree with each other on every issue — that's not realistic. But it does mean differing viewpoints are respected and employees feel secure enough to challenge the norm.  

Cultivating psychological safety at work is a strategic investment in your workforce that benefits both organizations and their employees. By creating a setting where individuals feel comfortable challenging the status quo, businesses tap into their team's full potential. 

Have you ever had a brainstorming session where everyone’s ideas were downright boring? This may be a sign that team members feel uncomfortable bringing up outside-the-box ideas. Alternatively, when employees are in a space where they know they can get creative and freely share their ideas without repercussions, they start to problem-solve differently. With fewer boundaries in place, employees can think bigger, which ultimately results in more innovative solutions. 

Psychologically safe environments also improve performance and collaboration. If trust and respect are the norm, employees will be more likely to work together effectively, share information openly, and support each other’s efforts. This creates a sense of camaraderie and mutual accountability, which in turn leads to better team cohesion, productivity, and overall performance. 

Plus, psychological safety plays a significant role in boosting engagement and satisfaction. In fact, psychologically safe companies see 76% higher employee engagement. When employees feel secure and valued at work, they're more likely to take pride in their work and go the extra mile. This sense of security also translates to longevity, reducing the costs and disruptions of high turnover. 

Fostering psychological safety in the workplace is a team effort, one that leaders and employees must take on together. Here are some practical strategies to create a psychologically safe environment. 

Create open lines of communication: When everyone feels their voice is heard, they're more likely to speak up and share. Creating a space for open, honest dialogue between team members, managers, and leaders is key. Consider scheduling team meetings and one-on-one check-ins designated specifically for feedback at least once per quarter. It's also important to create anonymous feedback channels, like company or team surveys. However, if you’re only receiving anonymous feedback, it’s likely a sign that your team’s psychological safety is low, and prioritizing these efforts is crucial. 

Empower team members to try new things: A 2023 survey by Wiley found that only about half of individual contributors say they feel safe taking risks at work, which means nearly half of the workforce doesn’t feel this sense of safety. Managers should recognize and celebrate when team members try new things — even if they fail — and call out those efforts directly during one-on-one meetings and annual reviews. And when employees try something new and succeed, it’s a great opportunity for their managers to shout it from the rooftops and share their success more broadly across the business. 

Reframe mistakes as stepping stones to growth: Managers should encourage their teams to discuss their mistakes and the lessons they learned from those mistakes. They shouldn’t expect employees to automatically admit to their mistakes, though. Instead, it may be helpful to occasionally ask team members about a mistake they’ve made recently and what they’ve learned from it. Eventually, employees will recognize that it’s okay to say, "I messed up," and to ask for help when needed. 

Despite the many benefits of psychological safety, organizations may encounter various challenges when attempting to implement it.  

One common pitfall is overlooking the critical role of leadership in establishing and maintaining a psychologically safe environment. The reality is, if you want to show employees you care about their wellbeing, leadership has to set the tone for the rest of the business. Leaders must actively demonstrate a commitment to psychological safety by modeling transparent communication, valuing diverse perspectives, and celebrating risk-taking. Without strong leadership support, efforts to create a psychologically safe workplace may falter. 

Another common misstep is focusing solely on individual behavior without recognizing the influence of the larger systems and processes at play. While personal actions are vital, an environment that supports psychological safety must be the foundation. This means establishing clear-cut guidelines for respectful communication, avenues for employees to voice their concerns, and a system that values contributions over conformity. 

And then, there's the myth that psychological safety means letting go of accountability. That's simply not true! Yes, we want to create a space where sharing ideas and owning up to mistakes is encouraged, but that doesn't mean we're not responsible for our actions. In a truly psychologically safe environment, all rules and boundaries can’t be dropped, or else the organization will be back to square one — a chaotic workplace where employees don’t feel secure. 

It’s important to note that accountability must start with leadership. By admitting when they’ve made a mistake, leaders can model ownership of flaws and show their teams that everyone is human and it’s normal to mess up from time to time.   

Measuring your investment in psychological safety 

To measure the success of your investment in psychological safety, you’ll need to take a data-driven approach. This means regularly measuring key metrics and indicators. One of the most important ways to do this is through surveys and feedback, like we touched on earlier. These tools can help you understand how employees perceive psychological safety in the organization and whether they feel they can trust organizational leadership. By analyzing survey data and feedback, you can identify areas where you might need to improve and track progress over time. 

Tracking innovation outcomes is another way to measure the impact of psychological safety. While this will look different for every business, you might keep an eye on the number of patents being filed or successful product launches, or new mediums being used for creative projects. By connecting the dots between these innovation metrics and a culture of psychological safety, we can see the tangible results of an environment that encourages risk-taking and idea-sharing. 

Keeping an eye on how your teams are doing is, of course, the number one metric. Are they collaborating well? Solving problems effectively? Meeting deadlines? Are they speaking up when they have a problem, or throwing out even the most wild ideas for discussion? By looking at these performance and social indicators, we can tell if psychological safety is really boosting team spirit, communication, and productivity. 

It's easy to fall into the trap of expecting quick fixes and feeling disheartened if change isn't immediate, but building a culture of trust and security is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time, commitment, and a whole lot of patience from leaders and team members alike. We have to be in it for the long haul, continually measuring our success and making adjustments along the way. By continually trying new approaches and measuring each one’s success or failure, you can make informed decisions and implement targeted strategies to ensure your organization is psychologically safe. 

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

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Learn what psychological safety is and how cultivating it in your team can unlock creativity, encourage risk-taking, and ignite breakthrough innovation.

Investing in psychological safety leads to creativity and innovation

We’re living in an age where always-on culture is glorified, employees are expected to pull long hours into the night or early morning, and qualities like grit and tenacity are valued over empathy and collaboration. It’s no shock that the relationship between productivity and mental wellness have become particularly strained. 

While companies may view productive employees as their key to success, the reality is that the modern work culture's push to continuously increase productivity comes at a high price. Many employees want to perform well at work and continue growing their skills, but an individual can only do so much. As an employee’s list of responsibilities continues to grow, it's inevitable that they'll eventually hit a breaking point, leading to burnout, decreased productivity, and higher attrition rates. Plus, let's face it—a burnt-out employee isn’t likely to spend their time and energy on learning and development. 

Forward-thinking organizations are pivoting their focus to championing mental wellness, not only for ethical reasons but also as a strategic driver for sustainable growth and a competitive edge. This focus on mental health isn't simply a fad or a phase—it's the result of a workplace culture that has gone too far and must now self-correct to regain balance. 

In this article, we'll unpack the relationship between mental health and productivity, and provide strategies to help your organization foster a supportive environment that values the whole person, leading to a more motivated, engaged, and ultimately productive workforce. 

The link between productivity and mental health is complex. When people are stressed and overworked, they're not at their best, and burnout becomes a real risk—but this doesn’t mean you should stop working toward a more productive workforce altogether. Instead, it's important to prioritize your workforce’s mental well-being so you can form realistic expectations of your employees. 

Often, companies treat employee well-being more as a nice-to-have than a need-to-have for their business success. However, there's plenty of evidence showing that happy, mentally healthy employees perform better. In fact, research shows that happy workers are 13% more productive than unhappy workers. Fast Company even concludes that because of this, happiness should be a KPI for all businesses.  

So, how can you create a work environment that's good for mental health and simultaneously keeps productivity high? If you're truly committed to making mental wellness a part of company culture, then it can't be an afterthought. It's important to build a structured approach that is both thorough and inclusive. Here are three strategies you can implement within your mental health framework: 
 

Leadership is the backbone of organizational culture. If your organization's leaders don't prioritize a healthy work-life balance for themselves, then it's likely their direct reports won't either, and this attitude will continue to travel throughout the company. It's vital that leadership embodies the values they want their teams to practice. When leaders actively promote and model healthy boundaries, it sets the tone for the rest of the organization, making it easier for employees to prioritize self-care without fear of being stigmatized or penalized. 

Buy-in from leadership is a necessary step for any mental wellness program to succeed. Instituting a well-thought-out mental health policy that leadership promotes and advocates for signals to employees that their mental well-being is a priority. This should be backed by clear communication that encourages the use of mental health resources and destigmatizes seeking help. 

When we consider leadership’s role in mental well-being, we don’t just mean your organization’s C-suite. A recent study by UKG found that managers have a higher impact on employees’ mental health than doctors or therapists—and that they have the same impact as a spouse or partner! As key role models with significant impact, it’s important that managers are trained to cultivate a supportive relationship with their team by celebrating employee accomplishments and creating a space to openly discuss work challenges and stressors. This shift can help employees feel like their relationship with their manager is an ongoing opportunity for growth, not a constant critique. 

Integrating mindfulness techniques into daily work can have a profound positive impact on stress levels. Mindfulness helps individuals to be fully present and engaged in the task at hand, ultimately leading to better performance. But what does mindfulness look like at work? 

Building mental health policies may not be the most exciting task, but implementing mindfulness practices is a great place to get creative and have fun! Consider offering all-company workshops or team sessions to introduce your workforce to various mindfulness techniques, building their resilience to stress and enhancing their ability to focus. You might host a yoga class or breathwork session, or add weekly guided meditations to the calendar. 

At Go1, our co-founder Vu Tran, who is also a medical doctor and a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, recently hosted a fireside chat on mental health, and all team members were invited to join. During the session, Vu shared his thoughts on resilience, his frameworks around understanding the basics of mental health, and answered questions about mental wellness. Not only was this an opportunity for employees to learn more about mental health from an expert, but it was also a chance for Go1 leadership to show employees that mental health is a priority for us—and we want our team to prioritize it, too. 

Mental health isn't just the individual's responsibility, so make sure you're going beyond individual practices and facilitating a supportive environment that allows mental wellness to thrive. 

In a post-pandemic world, remote and hybrid work has become the norm for many employees, and the blurring of work-life boundaries is real. Providing guidelines for remote work that encourage time management, regular breaks, and the cultivation of a dedicated workspace can help prevent burnout. 

Flexibility is also key, as flexible working hours and locations can empower employees to structure their workday in a way that best supports their personal responsibilities and mental health needs. A survey from Gartner found that 43% of respondents said flexible working hours helped them achieve greater productivity. Providing flexibility and access to mental health resources such as counseling services or employee assistance programs can help employees feel supported and cared for. 

Our collective knowledge about mental health is constantly evolving, and just like we expect employees to adapt to change, organizations should also adapt to meet the changing needs of their workforce. By adopting a holistic approach that looks at both individual and organizational factors, companies can create a work environment that nurtures the well-being and success of their most valuable asset—their employees. 

Strategically investing in mental wellness pays off in employee satisfaction, commitment, and performance. It's time to shift the paradigm from a productivity-at-all-costs mentality to a sustainable, wellness-focused approach that benefits everyone. 

Move beyond hustle culture and try these strategies to support your workforce’s mental health and well-being.

Building a wellness-focused workplace

The link between mentally healthy and engaged employees, and organizational growth and success is commonly discussed. We have previously explored how psychological safety will drive employee engagement, and heavily influences employee wellbeing, productivity, satisfaction, and absenteeism.

The fact that 71% of disengaged employees are already on the lookout for a new job, only increases the need to get workplace wellbeing right. 

Here we present several questions to self-audit an individual workplace culture, aimed at opening opportunities for change and improvement. A valued and supported workforce will be empowered towards stronger personal mental fitness and health.  

How comfortable are employees in sharing their opinions and feedback, particularly when unpopular or negative?

As we recently covered, listening to employees is an area where many organisations fail to meet expectations. In fact,  83% of people think they aren’t heard ‘fairly or equally’ at work, while a whopping 41% have left a job because they didn’t feel listened to. 

These insights are staggering and display the severe underutilization of the power found in valued and heard employees. When employees feel their voice is heard they are 4.6 times more likely to be empowered to deliver their best work. 

Making a workplace safe for mistakes is a culture that needs to be established from the top down. When leaders comfortably own and openly learn from their own mistakes, they not only demonstrate their own humanity, but actively foster stronger psychological safety.  

Making your organization a safe place for mistakes, and learning from them, is one of the most influential components in developing a psychologically safe workplace.

Mistakes is also the basis of an innovative environment. When your people are empowered to embrace a trial-and-error process, there is increased opportunity for agile thinking and creative disruption. 

When was the last time leaders and direct managers in your organization were educated directly on mental health and wellbeing within the workplace?

While the conversations around workplace mental health are increasing, 50% of managers still find it hard to identify when their team members are struggling with their mental health, overwork or burnout. If education hasn’t started at the top, your employees will continue fighting against the current.

And though many leaders are doing great work here, and even more are taking steps forward, there is still a lot of 'up-skilling' needed at large. A recent Adecco Group study of 15,000 respondents across 25 countries reported that 67% of leaders are not meeting employees' expectations for how invested leaders should be in their wellbeing. 

Addressing mental health in the workplace, and empowering each employee to strengthen their own mental fitness, is a complex and ongoing focus. But one that is increasingly critical and valued by employee’s searching for somewhere that aligns with a healthy life. 

Please remember, if you are struggling with your mental health and experiencing significant distress, we encourage you to reach out for immediate support.  
Australia: Lifeline 131 114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636   
USA: NAMI HelpLine 800-950-6264  
UK: Samaritans 116 123 or Shout Crisis Text Line text ‘SHOUT’ to85258  
Global: United for Global Mental Health Regional Directory 

Workplace mental health and wellbeing can feel overwhelming to approach, particularly if you're not sure where to begin. To help navigate these waters we have developed, in partnership with AP Psychology, the Humans at Work guide. 

This auditing and planning tool will guide you in finding the right learning for your team. 

If you are a current Go1 customer, you can complete the guide in partnership with your CSM and they will add a Humans at Work learning plan into your current learning structure. 

If you are not currently a customer and interested in elevating your workplace's mental health and wellbeing learning, we would love to help. 

Download the Humans at Work guide and let's move towards psychologically safer workplaces. 

For World Mental Health Day we ask a selection of questions that explore a workplace’s impact on their employee’s personal wellbeing.  

The influence a workplace has on employee mental health

For World Mental Health Day we ask a selection of questions that explore a workplace’s impact on their employee’s personal wellbeing.   

Please note that this article discusses suicidal ideation and may be sensitive content to some readers. 

R U OK? Day highlights the impact a simple question could have on someone who is struggling with their mental health.  

Within a workplace context, a culture where everyone feels safe to ask and answer this question speaks volumes of the psychological safety supporting its people.  

With the intent to continue empowering organizations beyond the important days that are recognized this week, we will explore three essential layers of suicide awareness and prevention within a workplace. These are:

By including mental health awareness training as a part of your organization’s ongoing L&D program, you can empower not only those who are struggling but their peers as well to recognize the early signs of low mental health. 

Rolling out learning that contains sensitive subject material must always be done with consideration and supportive structures in place. Stigma reduction from effective education can  improve supportive behaviours within the entire team. Additionally, stigma reduction training can also increase the preventative steps taken by employees who are struggling with suicidal ideation or their mental health. 

Mental health awareness and education must be included at all points of an employee’s lifecycle and workplace learning journey. From onboarding to skills development, mental health education empowers not only the learner personally, but the depth of their positive impact on the organization.  

Individual awareness of the importance of mental health has improved leaps and bounds (particularly within the context of the last three years). However, there is still a ‘workplace wellbeing gap’.  

67% of leaders fail to meet their employees’ expectations for how invested leaders should be in their wellbeing. At the same time, 50% of managers are unable to identify when their direct reports are struggling with their mental health or are close to burnout.  

To underscore this point, 74% of workers agree that their company should increase its focus on mental health and staff wellbeing. Yet, only 55% of employees feel their company cares about their mental health. These are damning numbers, showing that many organizations must urgently increase their mental health and wellbeing support. 

A supportive and equipped leader can positively impact each employee, holding a compounding influence on their workplace’s overall psychological safety. This responsibility includes leaders at all levels, as explained in our conversation below with Arthur Papagiannis, CEO of AP Psychology and Consulting Services.  

It starts at the top

You can see more of our conversation with Arthur in our article Psychological safety in the workplace: where to begin.  

The third layer of workplace suicide awareness and prevention is implementing accessible supportive structures. An organization should strive to remove as many barriers as possible that prevent employees from recognizing and accessing the support they need.   

In 2022, 45% of employees still feel their employer is not doing enough to support their wellbeing. what's more, 7 out of 10 people who experienced anxiety and stress during the pandemic felt a lack of support from their workplace.  

It is critical to make your support pathways as clear and accessible as possible. Just as each employee should be able to identify safe exits in a fire emergency, they should also have a crystal-clear understanding of where to go for support when needed.  

In practice, this often comes in the form of employee access to mental health counselling programs and crisis support.  

The team at R U OK? are known for saying:

You don't need to be an expert to reach out - just a good friend and a great listener.   

A psychologically safe work environment is not a replacement for trained mental health crisis support. However, it is obliged to support its employees mental health of its employees and provide pathways to the appropriate help whenever needed.  

Looking for comprehensive Mental Health and Wellbeing training?    

We have developed regionally specific learning playlists covering Talking about Mental Health and Suicide, ready to be integrated into your workplace wellbeing plans.  

Our learning library has over 2,000 training modules and resources developed specifically to educate and increase your team's health and wellbeing. Speak to your Go1 Customer Success Manager or book a demo about curating a playlist built to educate and empower.   

Please remember, if you are struggling with your mental health and experiencing significant distress, we encourage you to reach out for immediate support.  
Australia: Lifeline 131 114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636   
USA: NAMI HelpLine 800-950-6264  
UK: Samaritans 116 123 or Shout Crisis Text Line text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258  
Global: United for Global Mental Health Regional Directory 

September 8th is R U OK? Day, providing the opportunity to make space for impactful conversations. To empower the wellbeing of your organization this article explores the three layers of suicide awareness and prevention within a workplace.

Creating space for conversations that count

Many of us could be considered technical wizards these days. Accelerated by the pandemic, the digital surge within workplaces sees us endlessly toggling between platforms, devices, and notifications.  

This environment of endless screens, truly a modern house of mirrors, could see our digitally fatigued selves sigh at the thought of adding more to our operating tech stack.  

Here, we ask that you take a curious dive with us into how a workplace tech stack could in fact positively impact individual risk of burnout.  

A tech stack can be described as the digital structure behind a business. This structure includes not only integrations for getting a product or service to market (think online payment, project management tools, customer success software etc.), but also any tech that supports business operations as a whole (HR, emailing, payroll, compliance training, social chat etc.). 

The pandemic, and associated push for hybrid and remote work environments, meant many workplaces rapidly expanded their tech stacks. 

Alongside the growth of tech integrations and software over the last few years has been the understanding of burnout and its increasing prevalence in the workplace.  

Maslach Burnout Inventory recognize burnout when the following three factors are present at the same time: 

Depersonalization (or disassociation from role) 

A diminished sense of personal accomplishment 

67% of all workers believe that burnout worsened overall during the pandemic. Gen Z workers were found to be struggling significantly, with research from Deloitte finding 46% of them feeling “stressed or anxious all or most of the time”.  

You can read more in our article ‘What can we actually do about burnout’.

How can a tech stack be linked to burnout? 

As the ways in which we work become more linked to technology, how well that technology works alongside us will increasingly impact our workplace experience. 

When a tech stack is clean and beautifully integrated, working in the flow and understanding the purpose of our work becomes more possible. 

Incidentally, these are two key metrics for mitigating the risk of burnout. 

The buzz phrase of technologically integrated workplaces, ‘working in the flow’ has become the engagement and productivity goal of the digital working era.  

42% of remote workers and 35% of onsite workers say that they are easily distracted on the job. With the sharp increase of software and platform use, much of our working hours can be swallowed by task-switching and reactive focus as we respond to constant notifications and pop ups.  

Longitudinal studies have found that ‘flow’ can be interpreted as a protective factor against burnout symptoms. Simultaneously however, burnout symptoms can be interpreted as a factor inhibiting flow.  

Essentially, achieving flow at work will reduce the risk of burnout for your employees, though if they are already experiencing burnout, reaching that point of ‘flow’ will be an uphill battle.  

Utilizing seamless tech integrations that support a ‘working in the flow’ environment, not only increases the engagement and productivity of your teams but also protects them from the risk of burnout.  

Seamless is the key here, along with ‘less if often more.’ Optimizing fewer tools that cover more functionalities will reduce platform-switching and enable improved adoption and engagement.  

(We recently looked closer at 'learning in the flow' which you can catch up on here)

A common and understandable concern within a digitally linked workplace is the reduction in autonomy for individuals.  

Indeed for employees, individual sovereignty over what they do and how they do it, is a recognized element in mitigating the risk of burnout. 

Here we return to the case for purposeful and empowering technical integrations. Ones which remove avoidable blocks and distractions, and foster capacity and connection within collaborative teams. 

BetterUp’s Connection Crisis Report highlighted the importance of colleague connection to improve the whole-life wellbeing of employees. Sadly, within their research, 38% of workers stated they do not trust their co-workers and 43% do not feel connected to their co-workers.

When diversifying or building upon a tech stack we can see the opportunity to simultaneously address a workplace’s burnout risk mitigation.  

The platform and integration options for any business are endless and will only continue to increase. Each tech piece in a stack needs to be carefully considered in its ability to not only address an operational goal, but its potential (or lack thereof) to simplify the flow of work and empower employee purpose.  

Working in the flow and workplace psychological safety both continue to be essential learning subjects here at Go1, and we are passionate about helping organization's find solutions and growth in these areas. 

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

We explore the possibilities within a tech stack to mitigate a worker's risk of burnout. Diving into the current workplace context, working in the flow and understanding purpose at work.

Is a shiny tech stack the key to reducing workplace burnout?

Optimism. A word that might sit uncomfortably with many of us, considering the tumultuous global climate we find ourselves in. 

Optimism can be commonly perceived as blind passivity, sitting immoveable by present pressures and urgent actions, and choosing to naively pay attention only to the good. 

Though in reality, the active and adaptable view of the optimist is highly responsive to its surroundings and possibilities. Optimism benefits not only the individual, but can also unlock increased innovation and success in their workplace. 

Bringing in expert insight from Project Optimism's Noirin Mosley and Jenny Boymal, let's explore the active, agile and decisive sides to optimism.

Optimism requires action. It is not tunnel-visioned naivety - and could possibly be better described as the opposite to tunnel-visioned pessimism. 

Optimists believe in positive possibilities, though contingent on their active participation driving the outcome. They will actively work towards more innovative and positive outcomes for themselves and those around them, even when driven by negative scenarios. 

Research from the BetterUP coaching program found that employees who balance optimistic action with thoughtful pragmatism and reflection tended to be more successful, hopeful and less stressed.  

Highly optimistic employees are also  103% more inspired to invest their best effort into work. 

Unlocking optimism in others

As Jenny notes here, the real power of optimism is when it is unlocked in others. Particularly for leaders, empowering others to establish and build upon their own optimistic behaviors has a compounding effect.  

Our brain's ability to learn and adapt, with the goal of bettering ourselves or our circumstances, is driven by optimism. This function, neuroplasticity, is our neural network seeking and establishing new connections to adapt and evolve to better current scenarios as well as future predictions.  

The ‘Habits of an optimist’ course from Project Optimism, within the Go1 Content Library, is an insightful resource for discovering optimistic habits and behavior hacks. Did you know that habits can account for 40% of our behaviors. Learned optimism, boosted by optimistic habits, is possible. 

The Great Resignation

As Noirin mentions, The Great Resignation is an impressive example of optimistic behaviours within a crisis. Within large scale disruption, individuals choosing change for a better present or future. 

Optimism also drives agile capabilities when teams are found at organizational road blocks. In 2020, fashion rental company Rent the Runway found their revenue plummeting (their business model relied heavily upon occasion wear). CEO Jennifer Hyman used the pause to double down on system and structural improvements that had been de-prioritized during their high-growth years. She noted that it became a 'time for creation and creativity.'

Some of the strongest drivers of resilience is found in optimistic behaviors. The ability to stay emotionally balanced during difficult situations, reflective and agile are all powerfully supported by optimism. 

Optimism is not contingent upon ignoring negative factors and situations, but clinging to the belief that things can change, and we hold the power to contribute to that change. 

Akaash Maharaj, CEO of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, beautifully summed up optimism when he said; 

“Optimism is a creed for the brave. Pessimists' and cynics' certainty that nothing can be done gives them a ready excuse to do nothing and to risk nothing. By contrast, the optimist knows that better is always possible, and so he is compelled to make the effort work towards happier ends, even at the risk of disappointment.” 

Rather than being relegated to toxic-positivity, optimism is a crucial conduit to risk-taking, innovation, change and ultimately, building a better future. It can be found in the brave innovator, the agile risk-taker and the compassionate leader. And most importantly, optimism can be learnt. 

This auditing and planning tool will guide you in finding the right learning for your team, so they can turn up to work authentically themselves and thrive. 

If you are a current Go1 customer, you can complete the guide in partnership with your CSM, and they will add a Humans at Work learning plan into your current learning structure. 

If you are not currently a customer and are interested in elevating your workplace's mental health and wellbeing learning, we would love to help. 

Download the Humans at Work guide now to start moving towards psychologically safer workplaces. 

We dive into activating optimism, crisis-based optimism, and the power in unlocking optimism in others.

The case for optimism: a conduit to innovation, agility and effective change

We’ve all had those days where everything seems like a bit too much and we’re sick of carrying what seems like the weight of the world on our shoulders. With all that’s been going on across the globe recently, those moments feel more and more frequent.  

In fact, a study from the Health and Safety Executive in the UK found that during 2020/21, stress, anxiety and depression accounted for 50% of all work-related cases of ill health.   

That statistic is far too high, and we all deserve to find a little more brightness and joy in our workdays, and life in general. We’ve been searching the internet and have found some absolute gems to help bring some sunshine into your day when the world seems a bit too much.

From international conflicts to natural disasters, all amongst a global pandemic, it feels like our news is just one ‘once in a lifetime’ event after another.  

Upworthy is a complete breath of newsworthy fresh air. From heart-warming tales of random acts of kindness to adorable service animals, Upworthy has something to brighten up everyone’s day.  

Start scrolling down the page and before you know it, you’ll find yourself falling down the rabbit hole of positivity. 

Whether you’ve spent nights staring up at the stars wondering what could be out there or perhaps love a good outer space documentary, NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day offers some fascinating insight into the universe outside of our atmosphere. Every day since June 16 1995, NASA have shared a different image of our universe and included a brief explanation below from a real astronomer.  

Find out what were NASA thinking about on the day your kids were born, your first day at a new job, or during a significant global event. 

On those particularly stressful days when the world seems too much, maybe taking a look outside of our world is just what we all need? Let us know if you spot any aliens! 

You’d be hard pressed to find someone out there that hasn’t had a smile put on their face by a completely adorable baby animal - and ZooBorns is the perfect place to get your fix. 

A live giraffe birth, twin Emperor Tamarins playing on their mum’s back, and a red panda cub livestream are just some of the amazing glimpses into the world of nature that you can find on ZooBorns.  

If there’s a particular baby animal that you’re curious about updates on, you can sort by animal type as well as by the zoo that they’re from. 

Like the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day site, ZooBorns has an educational element, giving users the opportunity to learn about their favourite animals. Did you know that a baby North American River Otter is called a kit? 

Many of us will have fond memories of checking the TV guide to see when our favourite show was on. Or of spending Saturday mornings in front of the TV watching the latest cartoons. 

Providing an opportunity to escape to a time where you didn’t have to worry about work or paying the bills, My90sTv.com features all kinds of content from sports, music, drama and even your favourite commercials. You’ll get those catchy jingles stuck in your head again, just like old times!  

If the 90s isn’t really your style, never fear, my90stv.com also has TV options for the 60s, 70s, 80s and 2000s as well.  

Grab your favourite after-school snack, sit back, relax and immerse yourself in the nostalgia. 

Many of us want to be a part of positive social change in this world but either aren’t sure how to start or think that what we do on an individual level may not make much difference. Games for Change offers a solution to both hesitations - and it’s fun!  

Founded in 2004, Games For Change is a not-for-profit organisation that promotes and provides support for independent game creators to create social change through their games and immersive media. 

From a story-based game that teaches coping mechanisms for dealing with grief, to a game where 10 grains of rice are donated for every trivia question you get correct and much more, Games For Change has something for everyone. And the best bit? All the games are completely free to play. Now that’s something to get happy about! 

If you'd like to hear more about what Go1 has to say about happiness, check out our blogs that focus on wellbeing, including: Rediscovering lost joy at work.

We all deserve to find a little more brightness and joy in our workdays, and life in general. We’ve been searching the internet and have found some absolute gems to help bring a little extra brightness to your day when the world seems a bit too much.

5 websites to brighten your day

We all deserve to find a little more brightness and joy in our workdays, and life in general. We’ve been searching the internet and have found some absolute gems to help bring some sunshine into your day when the world seems a bit too much.

Amy Edmondson, Harvard professor and researcher, coined the term psychological safety at work and explains that psychologically safe team members, “feel confident that no one on the team will embarrass or punish anyone else for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea.” 

When an organization focuses on prioritizing psychological safety at work they will see concrete impacts across employee wellbeing, productivity, satisfaction, and absenteeism.  

For high performing teams, psychological safety is paramount. Internal research from Google in 2015 infamously found that psychological safety was the most critical component of a high performing team. Not only was it the top indicator, but it underpinned each of the additional four components. Which begs the question, without psychological safety, how possible is a high performing team? 

These 5 steps come with the caveat that psychological safety at work will never be a one-and-done process, and requires long-term, company-wide learning and policy audits and changes. 

But we sometimes want to know a good place to start.

We recently discussed the value in cultivating authentic and transparent conversations at work (you can read the full article here), and feedback loops between management and employees were critical. When employees feel safe and trusted, ideas, issues and changes are communicated sooner.  

According to Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report, just three in 10 U.S. workers strongly agree that at work, their opinions seem to count.  This is a staggering statistic, and a severe underutilization of the power found in valued and engaged employees. When employees feel their voice is heard they are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to deliver their best work. 

How safe do you feel your workforce are to bring feedback, opinions and ideas to the table? 

Begin by sharing self-reflective feedback on your own work within your team and allowing dedicated 1:1 time for employees to bring their thoughts to the table as well. This can be a slow change, particularly if previously feedback was not encouraged or received well. But stick with it, and lead by example. 

More than 50% of managers find it hard to identify when their team members are struggling with their mental wellbeing, overwork or burnout. If education hasn’t started at the top, your employees will continue fighting against the current.

When was the last time leaders and direct managers in your organization were educated directly on mental health and wellbeing within the workplace? Outside of awareness campaigns and employee assistance, a workforce where leaders demonstrate mental fitness strategies will empower their employees to follow suit. 

On-site is ideal for some, while WFH = thriving for others. 

Almost 49% of McKinsey survey respondents anticipated that returning to office would have somewhat or significant negative impacts on their mental health. While 60% of those who had already returned to the office reported that flexible work schedules would assist in stress.

The key is to avoid assumption and offer flexibility for individual team members and situations wherever possible. 

Making your organization a safe place for mistakes, and learning from them, is one of the most influential components in developing a psychologically safe workplace.

A very effective way to facilitate this at work, is leading by example. When did you last call out your own mistakes? Not in a self-deprecating way, but in a way that highlights not only an operational fact, but a learning or pivoting opportunity. 

Comfortably owning and openly learning from your own mistakes demonstrates not only your own humanity, but will actively foster stronger psychological safety within your team. 

Utilize company-wide surveys, feedback, roundtables and auditing tools (like the Humans at Work guide below) to gather an honest take on where your organization is at, and where work needs to be done. 

Particularly if you are noticing drops in engagement, retention and performance. Don't assume you know what it may be rooted in, do due diligence and dig into the nitty gritty. Again, empower the voices of your employees with facilitating anonymous feedback channels. 

71% of disengaged employees are already on the look out for a new job. Psychological safety will drive your employee engagement, so is worth every moment spent on getting it right. 

Psychological safety in the workplace is still a relatively new concept, but its necessity has been compounded within the context of the past two disruptive and disturbing years. It’s an overwhelming topic and can be difficult to comprehend the best place to start. To help navigate these waters we have developed, in partnership with AP Psychology, the Humans at Work guide.

We dive into 5 actionable steps that you can begin implementing immediately to improve the psychological safety of your workplace.

5 baby steps towards a psychologically safer workplace

Should organizations be more transparent and authentic with their employees? Could this be a key to unlocking a more engaged and innovative workforce? 