What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to identify communication settings that enhance psychological safety in the workplace, enabling employees to express themselves freely.

August 9, 2026International Journal of Business Communication

Psychological Safety and Internal Communication: Employees’ Perceptions of Psychologically Safe Communication Settings in the Workplace

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Authors

JHJens HagelsteinInstitut für Medien- und Kommunikationspolitik JHJeannine HuberUniversity of Vienna IWIngrid WahlUniversity of Vienna

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Implication

Qualitative study identifies communication settings that enhance psychological safety in employees, suggesting impactful internal communication strategies.

Key Points

The aim is to identify communication settings that enhance psychological safety in the workplace, enabling employees to express themselves freely.
Semi-structured interviews with N = 56 employees from various functions in Germany and Austria
Participants described specific communication situations feeling safe or unsafe
Focus on written channels and face-to-face interactions to gauge employee perceptions
Written communication channels, especially those allowing anonymity, encourage employees to voice concerns
Psychological safety declines during discussions about workload distribution and responsibility for mistakes
Employees feel safer when engaging with peers of similar age or professional experience

Cite This Study

Hagelstein et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a782d6e2e1896536c840858 https://doi.org/10.1177/23294884261472059

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Implication

Qualitative study identifies communication settings that enhance psychological safety in employees, suggesting impactful internal communication strategies.

Psychological Safety and Internal Communication: Employees’ Perceptions of Psychologically Safe Communication Settings in the Workplace

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Psychological Safety and Internal Communication: Employees’ Perceptions of Psychologically Safe Communication Settings in the Workplace

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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