Activity Two: What do we mean by Psychological Safety?

Instructions

• The person whose first name comes first alphabetically will be the facilitator
• The facilitator will decide on a speaker who will feedback to the whole group, when we return to the Main Room
• Avoid specific reference to names when using examples
• Please make sure that all voices are heard in response to the question below:

How would you define Psychological Safety and what are the benefits to creating and maintaining a psychologically safe environment?

Areas to consider

Individuals feel:

(1) included,

(2) safe to learn,

(3) safe to contribute, and

(4) safe to challenge the status quo,

all without the fear of embarrassment, marginalisation, or punishment.

Activity Three: Red Flags & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs 

Instructions

• The facilitator for this discussion will be the person born in earliest month.
• The facilitator will decide on a speaker who will feedback to the whole group, when we return to the Main Room
• Avoid specific reference to names when using examples
• Please make sure that all voices are heard

With reference to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, define psychological safety at work and share examples to illustrate red, with red being risk to psychological safety and wellbeing .

Team A:

1. Can we confidently state that all colleagues feel safe and that they belong? If so, how can we evidence this?
2. Are all colleagues equally valued for their contributions, or can more be done to enhance this?

Team B:

1. Is it desirable or possible for all colleagues to find meaning and purpose in their role?
2. Are there potential barriers which may be preventing some colleagues from reaching their professional potential?

A summary of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs can be found at the bottom of this page.

Breakout Activity Four: Green Flags & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Instructions

• The facilitator for this discussion will be the person born in latest month.
• The facilitator will decide on a speaker who will feedback to the whole group, when we return to the Main Room
• Avoid specific reference to names when using examples
• Please make sure that all voices are heard

With reference to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, define psychological safety at work and share examples to illustrate green flags, with green being assured psychological safety and wellbeing.

What role can colleagues and Leaders play in ensuring these psychological safety needs are met for all co-workers?

Team A:

How can we ensure all colleagues feel safe and that they belong?

How can we ensure that all colleagues feel valued?

Team B:

How can we ensure that all colleagues find meaning and purpose in their role?

How can we encourage and support colleagues to reach their fullest professional potential?

A summary of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs can be found at the bottom of this page.

Activity Five: Subtle Acts of Exclusion (Micro-aggressions)

Instructions

• The facilitator for this discussion will be the person who most recently joined the organisation.
• Guide your team through a discussion about the hidden messages and impact of the 3 Micro-aggression examples below.
• A speaker isn't needed for this activity.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Summary

Physiological

These refer to basic physical needs like drinking when thirsty or eating when hungry. Maslow considered physiological needs to be the most essential of our needs.

Safety

Once people’s physiological requirements are met, the next need that arises is a safe environment. Our safety needs are apparent even early in childhood, as children need safe and predictable environments and typically react with fear or anxiety when these are not met. 

Love and Belonging

This need includes both romantic relationships as well as ties to friends and family members. It also includes our need to feel that we belong to a social group. Importantly, this need encompasses both feeling loved and feeling love towards others. Since Maslow’s time, researchers have continued to explore how love and belonging needs impact well-being. For example, having social connections is related to better physical health and, conversely, feeling isolated (i.e. having unmet belonging needs) has negative consequences for health and well-being.

Esteem

Our esteem needs involve the desire to feel good about ourselves. According to Maslow, esteem needs include two components. The first involves feeling self-confidence and feeling good about oneself. The second component involves feeling valued by others; that is, feeling that our achievements and contributions have been recognized by other people.

Self-Actualization

Self-actualization refers to feeling fulfilled or feeling that we are living up to our potential. One unique feature of self-actualization is that it looks different for everyone.