Professor Amy Edmondson talks psychological safety at Workhuman Live Forum London 2025

Amy Edmondson, Professor at Harvard Business School kicked off Workhuman Live Forum London 2025, to discuss a topic crucial to every employee and employer alike: Psychological safety. 

In fact, a whopping 89% of employees view psychological safety as essential to the workplace, according to McKinsey.

But what is it, why is it important, and how can it be achieved?

Edmondson begins: “Psychological safety is not being nice. Unfortunately, being nice at work often means holding back what you really think – it’s being nice and agreeable. 

“Psychological safety is not feeling comfortable. Learning is inherently uncomfortable; it means you don’t know something. It’s not a guarantee that all your ideas will prevail.”

Edmondson then explains that when done correctly, psychological safety can convey permission for candor and recognition, while supporting enthusiasm and high-standard performance so employees can “do amazing things.”

High-quality conversation, skill, and leadership drive psychological safely

Although every employee wants to feel psychologically safe, there are a number of barriers that arise. 

For many, their inability to feel psychologically safe generates a fear of speaking up and sharing their true opinions.

“Let’s say you disagree with the boss,” Edmondson says setting the scene. “Here’s your options, you either speak up or stay silent.” 

“If you speak up, when will that benefit be realized? Later? And how confident are you that this benefit will occur? Mid to low. 

“Now let’s say you hold back. Nobody ever got fired for silence, and how confident are you that your silence is a safe bet? 100%. So, psychological safety lives amidst a group of people who are interdependent.”

In short, Edmondson explains that businesses that have psychological safety encourage employees to freely share their opinions to offer diverse perspectives. 

However, this has to be worked upon, and leaders have worked to create an environment where candor is expected and welcomed. “We call that a learning environment,” she explains. 

“This doesn’t happen by accident – it takes high-quality conversation, skill, and leadership.”

For Edmondson, these high-quality conversations are broken up into three categories: People contributing and listening, accuracy and inaccuracy in balance, and mutual learning and process. 

These can be achieved through asking questions, such as: Are people holding back what they’re saying, and only saying ‘safe’ things? What’s the balance between advocacy and inquiry? Does it seem like the team is getting closer to making a good decision? 

Closing the keynote, Edmonson ends by sharing her formula for success in an uncertain world. 

Aim high,” she says. “All of you are here are aiming high, going for gold, going for greatness, but if you want to do something spectacularly good and challenging, you will have to team up with people who are different from you. 

“If you team up with people who are different from you, I promise you, you will fail. I mean, fail again, and go for the intelligence to bring new knowledge.

“And finally, of course, learn fast from all of it.”