Psychological safety - the basis for excellent work and strong relationships

What is organisational culture and what is kultour?

The organisational culture of an institution shapes how employees work together, communicate and overcome challenges. It influences whether people dare to ask questions, contribute ideas or openly address mistakes. A key aspect of this is psychological safety - in other words, the confidence that you can speak out without fear of negative consequences.

kultour is a cultural project of Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg. Our employees at Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg take part in two-day workshops to find out together what it takes to do excellent work and maintain strong working relationships. More than 1,100 employees of Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg have already experienced kultour - more than 100 of them have even actively participated. Their commitment is crucial to the quality of the workshops and the relevance of the project to the working reality of Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg. In the workshops, we looked at what is needed for safe and respectful collaboration. This is not just about individual experiences, but about creating an environment in which all employees can give their best - for the benefit of patients, residents and the entire team.

Why psychological safety is crucial

Psychological safety means being able to speak openly without fear of embarrassment or negative consequences - be it to ask questions, express concerns or contribute new ideas. In an environment with a high level of psychological safety ...

• ... employees have the confidence to communicate openly and make suggestions for improvement.
• ... trust in teams grows because everyone knows: My opinion counts.
• ... it is seen as a strength to admit to uncertainties - because this makes learning and development possible.
• ... innovation increases because creativity can only arise where nobody is afraid of criticism.

How we promote psychological safety in our everyday lives

Psychological safety doesn't happen by itself - that's why we actively promote it. At kultour, we worked together to identify the factors that play a role in this and how we can strengthen it in our everyday lives:

1. Promoting a culture of learning - dealing openly with experiences: Managers and teams create an environment in which critical experiences are also reflected upon and used as a starting point for joint learning.
2. Giving constructive feedback - appreciative, sincere, effective: Appreciative feedback strengthens trust in the team and makes personal and joint further development possible.
3. Listening and giving space for ideas - all voices count: When different perspectives are heard and taken seriously, an environment is created in which people are committed and take responsibility.
4. Strengthening mutual support - acting confidently together: Those who experience that colleagues and managers are behind them feel more confident in taking on challenges and actively shaping them.

A protected space for open dialogue

One place that symbolises these principles is the kultour yurt in the park at Gesundheitswelt Zollikerberg. It was created as a meeting place - a place where staff, patients and relatives can talk to each other. The yurt is a visible sign of our commitment to promoting a culture in which people feel safe and heard.

Psychological safety as a foundation for the future

Our experience with kultour has shown us that strong collaboration begins where people dare to be themselves. By embedding psychological safety as a core principle of the way we work, we create an environment in which excellent work and strong relationships can develop.

Quote from a facilitator:

"We often talked in the workshops about how important it is to own your insecurities. For me, it was an aha moment: when leaders admit that they don't know everything either, it takes a lot of pressure off."

Quote from a participant:

"For me, kultour was more than just a workshop - it showed me that we all have an influence on how our collaboration develops."