The TUC’s latest findings paint a sobering picture of working life in the UK. With nearly four in five safety representatives identifying stress as a significant workplace hazard, and excessive workloads driving pressure to unprecedented levels, it’s clear that work-related stress is becoming worryingly common. While many organisations recognise the problem, few are addressing its root cause: the absence of psychologically safe working environments.
Understanding psychological safety
Psychological safety is often misunderstood or relegated to the margins of wellbeing strategies. In reality, it is not a “nice to have” or a soft cultural aspiration; it is fundamental to employee wellbeing, inclusion and performance. Without it, stress will continue to escalate, regardless of how many wellbeing initiatives organisations introduce.
At its core, psychological safety exists in cultures of inclusion. Where people feel able to respectfully express their views, ask questions, raise concerns, challenge decisions, take risks, make mistakes and learn from them without fear of judgment or negative consequences. When employees feel unable to speak openly about workload pressures, capacity, or mental health, stress, burnout, and disengagement become inevitable.
The consequences of a lack of psychological safety are well documented. Environments where people feel fearful or unheard lead to poorer performance, lower productivity, higher stress levels, increased levels of absence, and higher staff turnover. Conversely, psychologically safe workplaces foster trust, engagement and motivation. Employees who feel respected and valued are more likely to contribute ideas, collaborate effectively and remain loyal to their organisation. This kind of engagement is essential for good decision-making, innovation and long-term organisational resilience.
Embedding strategies to enhance trust
Importantly, psychological safety does not happen overnight. Like trust and respect, it must be earned rather than imposed. It is built through everyday interactions, behaviours and leadership choices. Every interaction an employee has, whether with senior leaders, line managers or peers, either strengthens or weakens the sense of safety they feel at work.
Leadership behaviour plays a particularly critical role. A psychologically safe culture is one where leader's role-model accountability, transparency and compassion. This means being clear about goals and expectations, communicating openly and honestly, and responding constructively when things go wrong. When leaders are inconsistent, opaque or apply different standards to different groups, trust erodes quickly and uncertainty fills the gap.
Clear and regular communication is especially important during periods of pressure or change. When employees are not kept informed, they make assumptions to fill in the blanks, and those assumptions are rarely positive. Open communication helps employees feel included, valued and part of something bigger, reducing anxiety and speculation at times when stress levels are already high.
Evidence shows that organisations investing in psychological safety, wellbeing and belonging are seeing tangible benefits. Onvero’s State of Inclusion report highlights that across public, private, and third sectors, organisations are increasingly investing in initiatives to support mental health and wellbeing. This demonstrates a growing recognition that psychologically safe environments are worth investing in to ensure business success.
The good news is that this investment in employee mental health and wellbeing doesn’t need to be expensive. The report shows that the most popular practical initiatives include widespread access to mental health resources, employee feedback forums, and regular one-to-one and team meetings. Perhaps most notably, 82% of organisations encourage senior leaders to role-model accountability and treat mistakes as learning opportunities rather than failures. This shift has a measurable impact: nearly half of respondents reported that mental health initiatives have improved inclusion, while over half said that regular meetings have strengthened their workplace culture and sense of belonging.
Clear room for improvement
Unfortunately, the TUC findings suggest there is still a significant gap between intention and lived experience for many employees. Too often, wellbeing is treated reactively as something to be addressed only once people are already overwhelmed, rather than as an outcome of healthy job design, manageable workloads, and supportive cultures. Without tackling these systemic issues, stress risk assessments and wellbeing programmes will continue to fall short.
Addressing workplace stress therefore requires more than isolated initiatives or resilience training. It demands consistent leadership behaviour, clear expectations, fair workloads and inclusive communication embedded into everyday practice. It also requires equipping managers at all levels with the skills to listen, give and receive feedback, and respond with empathy rather than judgement. Kindness, compassion and curiosity are not optional leadership traits; they are essential capabilities in high-pressure environments.
Ultimately, organisations that prioritise psychological safety are not only doing the right thing for their people, they are making a sound business decision. Psychologically safe workplaces deliver measurable improvements in engagement, productivity and retention, while reducing absence and burnout. In a climate where stress is now the leading workplace hazard, creating environments where people feel safe to speak up, be human and be heard is no longer optional. It is the foundation for sustainable performance and long-term success.
