Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams

Key finding

Introduces team psychological safety: a shared belief that it is safe to take interpersonal risks. Psychological safety, not team efficacy, was associated with learning behavior such as seeking feedback and discussing errors, and learning behavior mediated the link to team performance.

Why it matters

Foundational evidence that people surface mistakes and learn only when they will not be punished for speaking up, which underpins non-punitive reporting cultures.

Informs

• Reports their own mistakes quickly supports
• Builds a culture where it's safe to admit mistakes supports

Cite

Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological Safety and Learning Behavior in Work Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2). https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999