Building Psychological Safety in the Workplace

This is an in-person event

Audience

This event is members only. It is open to all members and will be of particular interest to EDI and wellbeing leads, HR, line managers and senior leaders.

Background

Psychological safety is the shared belief that people can speak up at work without fear of negative consequences. In psychologically safe environments, employees feel able to ask questions, share ideas, challenge decisions, and admit mistakes while still being treated with respect. It is not about being “nice,” avoiding conflict, or lowering standards; rather, it enables honest dialogue, learning, and accountability. When psychological safety is present, people are more willing to contribute fully because they trust that their voice will be valued.

Psychological safety is critical because it directly affects how well organisations perform and make decisions. When people feel safe to speak up, risks and errors are identified earlier, assumptions are challenged, and better decisions are made. Teams are more innovative because individuals are willing to experiment, learn from failure, and offer new ideas without fear of blame. In contrast, low psychological safety leads to silence, missed opportunities, and preventable mistakes, often at significant cost to the organisation.

Getting psychological safety right also has a profound impact on engagement, wellbeing, and retention. Workplaces where people feel unsafe often experience higher stress, disengagement, and burnout, as employees spend energy protecting themselves rather than contributing. Leaders play a crucial role in shaping these environments through their everyday behaviours, such as how they respond to mistakes, invite input, and handle disagreement. Organisations that intentionally build psychological safety create cultures of trust and resilience, enabling people to perform at their best and sustain success over time.

About This event

This event will bring together professionals to share perspectives, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another’s experiences. Through open discussion and practical insights, we will explore how modelling psychologically safe behaviours can strengthen leadership, boost team performance, and improve morale and retention. Whilst also connecting with like-minded peers, learning from real-world challenges and solutions, and building supportive cross-sector relationships.

Speakers

Confirmed Panellists:

• Sarah Minor-Massy, Head of Inclusion, Engagement and Culture, PWC
• Kate Hinder, Inclusion & Wellbeing Advisory Lead, Business in the Community

Agenda

9.30am: Arrive from this time

10.00: Keynote Session

10.45: Breakout Session 1

11.30: Break

11.45: Breakout Session 2

12.30pm: Insights session

12.45 -1.30pm: Networking Lunch

Booking and contact details and further information

• Contact jessica.hart@bitc.org.uk, Events Coordinator at BITC for any further questions.
• Full joining instructions will be sent before the event.

Find out how your organisation can become a member of Business in the Community