Psychological Safety in the Software Work Environment

Psychological safety is essential for high-performing software teams. It allows team members to feel comfortable taking risks, asking questions, and sharing feedback. This paper identifies everyday interpersonal challenges that point to a lack of psychological safety in software development practices, challenges such as reluctance to admit mistakes, avoiding seeking help, and fear of sharing negative feedback. Our study suggests that psychological safety is critical in meeting interpersonal challenges in software development and that software development practices can be better managed to promote a more supportive and healthy environment.