Psychological safety is essential within neurodiverse teams

We often receive questions like: “Does allowing reasonable accommodations for neurodivergent colleagues not lead to jealousy among others? Why do some prefer to keep their diagnosis to themselves? How can we express what we need without fear of retaliation or being overprotected? How do we prevent friction and miscommunication in our diverse team?” Psychological safety is always at the foundation of the solution to these questions.

What is psychological safety?

Psychological safety is about being able to share freely without fear of negative consequences. The concept was popularised through research conducted by Prof. Amy C. Edmondson (Harvard Business School).

This means that sharing ideas, concerns, and critiques and openly talking about personal struggles is good and welcomed and does not put the person at risk of being ridiculed by managers or colleagues or even getting a negative performance review.

Psychological safety is good for creating learning environments with more innovation and creativity and where (potential) problems come to light earlier and can be tackled more quickly.

Why is it important for neurodiverse teams?

Psychological safety is essential when creating an inclusive workplace. Research has found that psychological safety explicitly helps unlock diverse teams’ potential. Without psychological safety, it was found that a diverse group performs worse than a homogeneous team (a team where people are pretty alike) due to the people’s different backgrounds.

Also, with neurodiverse groups, the different communication styles, varying interpersonal skills, and stigmas and prejudices may cause a lack of healthy communication and collaboration between team members. For example, team members who have trouble speaking up, who are more introverted or have difficulty putting their thoughts into words, may keep silent more often or frequently get interrupted.

When applying psychological safety in the organisation, the (neuro)diverse teams can overcome these difficulties, use their unique strengths, skills, and insights, and, in the end, usually outperform the more homogenous teams.

Building a psychologically safe environment is everyone’s responsibility. Nonetheless, it’s good to start with the organisation’s leadership in setting the right example while facilitating the teams to improve their own safety levels.

Prerequisite for Success

For companies committed to neurodiversity, psychological safety is not just a nice to have; it’s a crucial prerequisite for success. It builds bridges where barriers once stood, turning neurodiversity into a catalyst for innovation, productivity, creativity, and a competitive edge.

In a world that’s changing faster than ever, the ability to accept and leverage everyone’s unique talents and perspectives is no longer optional but a necessity. Let’s work together to build psychologically safe work environments where everyone can thrive.

Want to know more about the topic and how to implement it in your neurodiverse team? We’re happy to help. Don’t hesitate to contact us.