Fostering Stable Connection On- and Off-Screen: Cultivating Psychological Safety in Hybrid Teams
A recent survey by Zoom (2024) revealed 64% of leaders report adopting a Hybrid model (i.e. work arrangement where employees split their time between working remotely and in the office), with no significant trend toward remote work or full office returns. Post-pandemic, Hybrid work has become a new norm and while employees report Hybrid work leads to more productivity and flexibility, it is not without its challenges. Here at PeopleTalking, we operate in this Hybrid landscape and have summarised our perspective on the impact of this on team dynamics and psychological safety, guided by the evidence.
One challenge with Remote and Hybrid work is maintaining effective communication and a sense of trust that allows individuals to speak up and take risks without fear of negative consequences (i.e. psychological safety). Harvard Business School Professor Amy C. Edmondson emphasises that psychological safety is vital for fostering innovation, teamwork, and resilience. It allows employees to navigate complex and uncertain environments while feeling valued and respected. However, the transition to Remote and Hybrid work complicates the dynamics that underpin psychological safety by introducing barriers to communication, feedback, and connection, requiring organisations to rethink how they cultivate it.
Insights from Recent Research
A study by Tkalich and colleagues in 2022 explored how remote work affected psychological safety within Norwegian software teams during and after pandemic-induced restrictions.
The research showed that Remote and Hybrid work had mixed impacts on psychological safety:
- Safe to Be Honest: Team members reported that speaking up during remote meetings was harder due to the lack of nonverbal cues and fear of interrupting others. Hybrid meetings, where some participants were remote and others in the office, exacerbated this challenge. Remote workers often felt overshadowed by in-person participants, leading to reduced engagement.
- Safe to Make Mistakes: Providing feedback – especially critical feedback – was another area of concern. Written communication, often used in remote setups, increased the risk of misunderstandings and made constructive criticism feel harsher than intended. Additionally, the lack of spontaneous interactions in remote and hybrid modes hindered timely feedback on unfinished work.
- Safe to Ask for Help: Asking for assistance or clarification, particularly on “simplistic” questions, was perceived as riskier in remote settings. The fear of public judgment was heightened when such questions were posted on shared team channels, highlighting the need for one-on-one chats or private calls to build confidence.
Tips for Maintaining Psychological Safety in Remote and Hybrid Work
Organisations can adopt several strategies to foster psychological safety in remote and hybrid work environments. To maintain psychological safety in hybrid and remote workplaces, encourage clear communication with structured meetings, digital hand-raising, and turn-taking. Build trust through regular one-on-one check-ins and foster a culture that embraces mistakes as learning opportunities. Strengthen team bonds with virtual coffee breaks, retrospectives, and where possible, occasional in-person meetups. Use collaboration tools to create shared spaces for resources and brainstorming.
Conclusion
The shift to remote and hybrid work is likely here to stay and provides many benefits to both employees and organisations, but maintaining psychological safety in these environments requires deliberate action. By prioritising open communication, trust, and inclusivity, organisations can harness the benefits of flexible work arrangements while mitigating risks to team cohesion and performance. As Tkalich et al. (2022) remind us, psychological safety is not a given—it must be cultivated, regardless of where the work happens. For leaders and teams, this means embracing new strategies, tools, and mindsets to ensure that every team member feels safe to speak, innovate, and grow in an increasingly flexible world of work.
