At Jobward, our motto is that everyone is a professional worthy of a good job. Above all, a good job is one that provides you psychological safety.

Having psychological safety at work means that you feel that if you speak your mind, you will not be made fun of, embarrassed, or punished. Furthermore, it means that you feel that even if your idea isn’t the one that everyone accepts, that your colleagues and managers will listen carefully and sincerely consider what you say. You understand that you won’t always get what you want, or be the best at everything, but that you will be treated with respect at all times.

Workers that have psychological safety feel free to bring up new ideas or suggest better ways of doing things. They are also coachable, and remain open to new ideas and ways of doing things that others bring up.

To put it succinctly, psychological safety means really listening and really being listened to.

Sadly, this is not a feeling that is common in many jobs where we can feel distrusted, unseen, or even threatened. If you are feeling that way, you should start searching for a new job with psychological safety as a criteria for your employment. Remember that you are a professional, and no matter what, you are worthy of being treated with respect as a human being with dignity. Regardless of your level of experience, skill, education you deserve psychological safety at work.

Even if you feel that you have psychological safety at work, you should strive to maintain and even grow the amount of safety that you and your colleagues experience. Have open, frank conversations about the importance of psychological safety at work with your coworkers and leadership. Read, understand, and try to enact policies that help protect the psychological safety of the people in your workplace. Fight hard for it, and when you feel you have it, protect and sustain it!