Navigating Change with Psychological Safety in Mind
Change is inevitable in healthcare.
Whether it’s new evidence and research, new funding models, service redesigns, evolving professional standards, or the introduction of digital systems, the pace of change has become relentless. For many in health and community services, these shifts can create uncertainty, fatigue, and even resistance.
However, change doesn’t have to erode wellbeing or trust. When supported by transparency, psychological safety, reflective learning, and transformational leadership, change can instead become a powerful catalyst for growth and innovation.
The Emotional Landscape of Change
“Psychological safety is not an optional extra, it’s the foundation of a learning and thriving workplace.” (Edmondson, 2018)².
Healthcare professionals are deeply values-driven. Change not only challenges systems and procedures, but also the personal meaning, investment and professional identity attached to our work.
Change can evoke a mix of curiosity, excitement, and anxiety. These are all normal human reactions. The key to managing change lies in how leaders and teams navigate these understandable human responses together.
When workplaces prioritise psychological safety, as described in Edmondson’s research, individuals feel safe to express concerns, admit uncertainty, and contribute solutions without fear of judgment or blame. This safety fosters collaboration, innovation, and resilience. These elements are all essential for effective and sustainable change (Edmondson, 1999; 2018)¹ ².
Why Psychological Safety Drives Change Readiness
Amy Edmondson’s research highlights that psychological safety underpins:
Quality of teamwork - open communication and collaboration
Problem-solving and innovation - essential during transitions
Change readiness - team’s capacity to adapt and learn
Workforce wellbeing and morale - protecting against burnout
In times of significant organisational or clinical change, teams need both support and challenge.
Too little support or challenge leads to apathy.
High challenge with low support leads to anxiety.
Balanced challenge and support create what Edmondson (1999)¹ describes as the learning zone. This is the optimal state for ensuring individuals feel safe and are able to adapt and thrive through change.
Leadership: The Human Side of Change
Health leaders and supervisors play a pivotal role in setting the emotional and psychological tone at all times. This is critical during times of uncertainty.
Leaders who cultivate awareness, empathy, and composure, signal stability and invite trust.
Transformational leadership, characterised by openness, curiosity, and respect, creates the conditions for change to succeed. Leaders who model fallibility and openly share what they are learning and how they are adapting normalise vulnerability and strengthen collective learning.
Supporting a Learning-Oriented Approach to Change
Teams thrive when change is framed as shared learning rather than top-down direction.
Encouraging reflective practice during transitions helps teams process experiences, make meaning, and maintain engagement. Leaders and supervisors can use reflective questions to support this process:
What’s working well so far in this change?
What challenges are emerging, and what are we learning from them?
How can we balance support and challenge to stay in the learning zone?
What would help us feel more confident navigating this transition?
What can I do to best support you?
Such conversations reduce defensiveness and foster agency and connection.
Practical Strategies for Managing Change
Frame change as an opportunity for learning
Approach change as a process of professional development, not just implementation. Ask, “What can I learn from this?” rather than, “Why is this happening to me?”
Build psychological safety
Leaders and supervisors can foster this by modelling openness, listening with empathy, and acknowledging uncertainty. A simple “I don’t have all the answers, but I’d like us to figure it out together” can shift a team’s mindset from nervousness or worry to collaboration.
Stay connected through supervision
Professional supervision and reflective practice groups provide essential spaces for individuals to process emotions, explore values, and strengthen resilience. Supervision grounded in safety and mutual respect transforms change from stressful to strengthening.
Balance challenge and support
Leaders can ask: “Do my team members feel supported and stretched?” Ensuring both elements are present in equal measures, sustains engagement and reduces burnout.
Attend to wellbeing
Change consumes emotional and cognitive energy. Encourage micro-breaks, realistic workloads, and collective reflection.
Make time for team connection and learning
Dedicate regular time for team reflection and connection whether through a team day or professional development session. This will provide your team with the opportunity to pause, share insights and reeling around shared goals and values. This time also helps strengthen trust and psychological safety amongst the team.
Consider……
How can you, in your current role, model a “learning mindset” toward change?
What can you do this week to strengthen psychological safety in your team?
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When supported by transparency, psychological safety, reflective learning, and transformational leadership, change can instead become a powerful catalyst for growth and innovation.