Five psychological safety challenges for hybrid workplaces

Summary

This piece from Jacqueline Towers (HubStar) outlines why psychological safety matters in organisations and the extra friction hybrid working creates. It lists five common barriers to a speak-up culture in hybrid teams and gives practical, everyday fixes leaders can apply to reduce risk, build trust and keep conversations authentic.

Key Points

Psychological safety means people can voice concerns without fear of retaliation and leaders model safe behaviour; it is not about avoiding disagreement or allowing unchecked comments.
Less in-person time reduces opportunities to witness leadership authenticity — leaders must be deliberately vulnerable to build safety.
Hybrid meetings increase the chance of groupthink and silence; use follow-ups, one-to-ones and frameworks (e.g. LCS) to surface dissent constructively.
Reduced face-to-face contact raises social isolation and weakens familiarity — design office days to foster high-quality connections (including play and informal spaces).
Faster, AI-generated communication can strip nuance; set clear AI guidelines, model authentic replies and reserve serious conversations for richer channels.

Content Summary

The article begins by defining workplace psychological safety (crediting Amy Edmondson) and dispels common misunderstandings: it’s about safe interpersonal risk-taking, not a ban on disagreement.

It then describes five hybrid-specific challenges: reduced opportunities to see leaders’ authentic behaviour; hybrid meetings that mask disagreement; increased social isolation; less trust-building time; and the risk that AI-assisted messages erode nuance and authenticity.

For each challenge the author offers straightforward fixes: leaders should show deliberate vulnerability; allow asynchronous or private channels for feedback; design in-office experiences that enable informal, high-quality connections; grant autonomy and task-support to build trust; and introduce clear AI-use rules while modelling authentic communication for sensitive matters.

Context and Relevance

As hybrid and flexible work patterns persist, organisations must rethink how culture and safety are built when people aren’t co-located. Psychological safety links directly to risk management, innovation and retention — the article ties real-world consequences (citing Boeing) to everyday team behaviours, then translates research insights into actions leaders can apply now. HR, people leaders and managers will find the suggestions practical for current hybrid challenges.

Why should I read this?

Short version: if your team splits time between home and office, this is the checklist you can use tomorrow to stop people staying quiet. It’s punchy, practical and saves you trawling research — five clear problems, five doable fixes. Read it if you want to spot and fix the tiny behaviours that make or break psychological safety in hybrid teams.