Psychological Safety

Definition

A workplace environment where employees feel safe taking interpersonal risks without fear of negative consequences—the foundation for effective teams that Google's research made HR care about.

Example Usage

Teams with high psychological safety reported 40% fewer instances of burnout.

Origin

Researched by Amy Edmondson at Harvard, popularized by Google's Project Aristotle (2015)

Fun Fact

High psychological safety correlates with better performance, innovation, and retention—yet remains absent in most workplaces

Source: Organizational Psychology Research

Related Terms

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redundant

What happens when your job description outlives your usefulness—you become the corporate equivalent of a deleted scene. In HR speak, this means getting let go because the company decided it doesn't need your role anymore, or simply being excessively repetitive.

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disparate impact

Employment practices that appear neutral but disproportionately harm protected groups—essentially discrimination by spreadsheet rather than intent. It's illegal even when accidental, requiring employers to prove business necessity.

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Return to Office (RTO)

A mandate forcing remote workers back to physical offices—a decision made by executives who never attended Zoom meetings anyway.

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Org Chart

A colorful diagram that shows who reports to whom, updated approximately never and accurate for about 48 hours after each reorganization. It's the corporate family tree, except family trees don't have dotted-line relationships.

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total compensation package

The art of making a mediocre salary sound impressive by including things you already expected, like health insurance and the privilege of occasionally working from home. It's what recruiters mention when the actual paycheck is disappointing.

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Rubber Stamping

When management approves decisions that have already been made by people above them, creating the illusion of consultation and hierarchy. Basically theater with signatures.

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