In Filipino homes, respect has a choreography. Walk into a Manila office and the choreography continues: even in multinationals with flatter org charts, senior colleagues are still “sir” and “ma’am.”
There is even a number for this. The Philippines scores 94 on the Power Distance Index, according to consulting firm Human Capital Realization, meaning Filipinos are more willing than most to accept that power sits unevenly.
It has its upsides. “High-power distance cultures are usually more stable and predictable, kinder to the elderly, and less subject to family breakdown and conflict,” says Dr. Peter Brace, psychological safety consultant and the firm’s co-founder and CEO. Workplaces in these cultures tend to run on what Brace calls a “command and control” model.
This level of respect is typical of countries with a high power distance culture where social groups accept and expect strong hierarchical relationships.
“High-power distance cultures are usually more stable and predictable, kinder to the elderly, and less subject to family breakdown and conflict.”
DR. PETER BRACE, psychological safety consultant and co-founder and CEO, Human Capital Realisation
Workplaces in high power distance cultures usually follow what Dr Brace calls a “command and control” model. He adds that, “it may be easier to predict and plan, and to get things done when the business environment is stable,” in these workplaces.
In this article
The Need for Psychological Safety in the Workplace
On the other hand, there is also a growing need for workplaces to offer employees psychological safety in these uncertain times. In this kind of environment, employees will be more engaged and will participate more fully in team discussions. They will feel more supported to be innovative and to learn new ways of working, even challenging their leaders if they feel this will help the team. The outcomes of high psychological safety include improved mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as improved performance in all kinds of teams.
A psychologically safe environment is “one where interpersonal trust exists, and mutual respect is given daily. It is an environment where people are comfortable being themselves.”
2018 GREAT PLACE TO WORK® ASIA INSIGHTS REPORT
Three key factors drive psychological safety in organizations:
1. The behavioral integrity of leaders
2. Supportive organizational practices
3. The quality of relationship networks within the organization
Trust is the foundation of any great workplace. This is why employees tend to trust the organization more and feel secure within it when management consistently delivers on its promises. Moreover, there are higher positive feelings of psychological safety among employees and teams when leaders are perceived as role models, trusted to act on feedback, and are for the good of the people.
In practice: Canva Philippines
Anyone can speak with and run on coffee dates with Yani Hornilla-Donato, Country Manager of Canva Philippines, which is #1 in Asia’s Best Workplaces 2021 Small and Medium Category. The company also has regular one-on-one check-ins between employees and team leads to promote an open, honest, and constructive conversation to encourage questions, concerns, or feedback.
Meanwhile, companies with supportive organizational practices are those that train and develop employees and encourage them to have a healthy work-life balance. In many parts of Asia, employees seek training and development to further themselves, making it imperative for organizations to nurture their people if they wish to attract talent in the region. High psychological safety improves learning outcomes by making it more likely that learning will be applied, building team performance and improving the return on the training investment.
Balancing one’s life and work is also crucial as remote work during the pandemic blurred the line between the two. Focusing on psychological safety will improve employees’ wellbeing and mental health, leading to better employee retention and employer reputation.
In practice: Ingram Micro
Three-time Philippines Best Workplaces awardee Ingram Micro places great importance on mental health. It offers a confidential and voluntary talk therapy service called DIAL TALK to support employees with personal or work-related issues that may impact their well-being, work performance, safety, individual and workplace morale, and psychological health.
Finally, organizations with high-quality relationship networks with leaders and colleagues have employees who genuinely care about each other. This is an especially important factor in the Philippines, where a Milieu poll in Southeast Asia revealed that Filipinos care the most about having friends at work. A feeling of inclusion and belonging at work is a major contributor to psychological safety, so organizations in the Philippines may have a head start!
| Employees who say having friends at work matters to them | |
|---|---|
| Philippines | 91% |
| Indonesia | 83% |
| Thailand | 80% |
| Singapore | 74% |
Source: Milieu poll, Southeast Asia
Psychological safety is even more crucial as organizations face rapid change and constant disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A team’s collective effort is required to enable them to come up with creative solutions to challenges that come their way.
“We observed that employees more consistently experience psychological safety at Best Workplaces™ than in other organizations. We found that psychological safety drives people to contribute more, to take more risks, and perform better as a team, more than other factors such as remuneration, recognition, and development opportunities.”
ANTONIETTE TALOSIG, Managing Partner, Great Place to Work® Philippines
Fostering Psychological Safety in Organizations with a High Power Distance Culture
Naturally, organizations that run on a “command and control” model might have difficulty adapting to the idea of prioritizing psychological safety.
“New ways of working introduce uncertainty and doubt. And if a leader and her team are used to deciding action based on clear consensus unified around the voice of authority, then everyone might feel worried! But it is only through uncertainty that change, growth, and improvement can happen,” says Peter, “and high psychological safety enables teams to find that positive side of uncertainty.”
He adds that when leaders finally understand the benefit of openly sharing diverse ideas, their fears will lead to excitement, engagement, and excellence in team performance.
Transforming a company with a high power distance culture takes hard work. But building a psychologically safe organization pays dividends in the long term. “When there is psychological safety, employees are proud to tell others that they work in your company, and they look forward to coming to work each day. We found that those who believed that their company was a great place to work also rated their organization high on psychological safety,” says Antoniette.
How Leaders can Build Psychological Safety at Work
Leaders play an important role in establishing psychological safety in their organization. Here are several ways to achieve this:
1Conduct a sense check to identify gaps
Since the behavioral integrity of leaders is a key driver in psychological safety, regular open dialogue between managers and employees, 360-feedback, and surveys like the Trust Index™ survey will give them a clearer picture of the quality of the relationship between leaders and employees. These measures will also shed light on key issues that will allow leaders to take concrete steps in addressing gaps in the organization.
2Invest time in clear action plans for culture shaping
Survey results and feedback are only useful when they lead to visible action. Translate findings into a culture action plan with clear owners, timelines, and measures, and communicate progress openly so employees can see their input shaping change. Acting on feedback is one of the fastest ways leaders demonstrate behavioral integrity, and it builds the trust that makes the next round of feedback more candid.
3Define and clarify desired behaviors, and provide role models
Both leaders and employees will play an integral role in building a psychologically safe workplace. Because of this, organizations need to identify employee advocates who can deliver key messages, and demonstrate desired behaviors. Meanwhile, leaders can harness the power of storytelling to inspire employees to follow suit. In addition, organizations must nurture the relationship between leaders and employees through various platforms and opportunities while rewarding the right behaviors that lead to desired results.
4Adopt a long-term view of success
It will take time for a new company culture to take traction. This is why organizations must both celebrate quick wins to keep everyone motivated while staying committed to sustainable efforts over the long term to ensure their success. Once again, leaders will set the stage and lead the way in this transformation.
Let Psychological Safety Grow Within Your Organization
Psychological safety can thrive even in organizations with a high power distance culture. Improving it starts with finding out where you are now.
