With AI fast becoming one of the biggest disruptors in the world of work, she’s been exploring how organisations can balance innovation with the human need for safety, curiosity, and open dialogue.
In this piece, Patti Turfrey from Hive’s Professional Services team shares why psychological safety and AI adoption are inseparable — and what leaders can do to prepare their culture for the future of work.
“Psychological safety has become one of the most talked-about topics in workplace culture, and for good reason. First introduced and popularised by Harvard professor Amy Edmondson (1999), it was defined as “a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking.”
What does that really mean? It doesn’t mean endless harmony or avoiding healthy conflict. Instead, it’s about building an environment where people feel confident enough to:
- Speak up with new ideas
- Raise concerns or flag mistakes
- Ask questions or admit gaps in knowledge
- Challenge assumptions or the status quo.
— all without fear of blame, judgement, or embarrassment.
More recent research, such as the work of Plouffe et al. (2023), has extended this concept further. It explores psychological safety not just as a team-wide belief, but as an individual experience. Whether someone feels safe enough to take interpersonal risks is influenced by multiple factors: the wider organisational climate, leadership behaviour, available resources, and levels of trust and support. In other words, psychological safety is both a collective and a deeply personal phenomenon.”
The intersection of AI and workplace culture
“So, what does this have to do with AI?
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace whether we’re ready or not. With every leap in capability — from automation and generative AI to predictive analytics — comes a wave of human emotion. Excitement. Curiosity. Resistance. Sometimes even fear.
Change management theory, such as the Kübler-Ross change curve, reminds us that humans process transformation in stages: shock, denial, frustration, exploration, acceptance — and sometimes a trip through the “valley of despair” before things become the new normal.
When it comes to AI, not everyone will react in the same way:
- Some employees will be enthusiastic early adopters
- Others will wait to see proof before committing
- Some may only adapt when it becomes non-negotiable.
All of these responses are valid. The role of leaders, managers, and culture-builders is to recognise where people are on that curve — and to support them through it.
This is where psychological safety becomes not just helpful, but absolutely essential.”
Why psychological safety is critical for AI adoption
“Unlike many other technologies, AI is not a “set it and forget it” tool. It is a system that learns, adapts, and sometimes gets things wrong. Right now, AI is arguably at the “Nokia 3310 stage” (for the 90s kids!) — early, exciting, but far from its full potential. That means there will be trial, error, and iteration ahead.
Without psychological safety, those trials and errors can turn into risks.”
1. Error detection relies on speaking up
If AI delivers flawed recommendations or inaccurate insights, employees need to feel empowered to challenge it. If they don’t — if silence is the safer option — then errors compound, trust in the technology erodes, and decision-making suffers.
2. Tackling bias requires honesty
AI systems reflect the data they’re trained on. If the data is incomplete, unrepresentative, or biased, the outputs will be too. Psychological safety gives employees the confidence to raise concerns like “This doesn’t reflect everyone fairly” and advocate for more inclusive approaches.
3. Adoption depends on curiosity, not fear
Successful adoption requires experimentation. But experimentation inevitably comes with missteps. If people are afraid of being judged or penalised for getting things wrong, they won’t try. A lack of experimentation means a lack of learning — and ultimately, stalled adoption.
4. Job security fears can block progress
will see AI as a chance to level up their skills and free themselves from repetitive tasks. Others may quietly fear redundancy. Without psychological safety, those concerns remain unspoken — breeding resistance and mistrust rather than transparency and collaboration.
In short: AI adoption will succeed or fail on the strength of psychological safety.
Building a psychologically safe environment for AI
So, what does it take to create that environment? Here are three practical steps leaders can take right now:
1. Model curiosity and openness
Leaders set the tone. Share openly when you’ve tried something with AI that didn’t work as planned. Invite questions, admit when you don’t have the answers, and demonstrate that learning is valued more than perfection.
2. Create safe spaces for feedback
Establish regular check-ins where employees can share their experiences with AI tools. Position these sessions as opportunities to surface insights and lessons, not to evaluate performance. Make it explicit that spotting bias or raising ethical concerns is both welcome and encouraged.
3. Celebrate learning, not just success
Recognise and reward teams for their willingness to experiment. Highlight not only the wins, but also the valuable lessons learned from “failures.” This reinforces the idea that progress comes through trying, testing, and iterating.
Why this matters now
“AI adoption is moving quickly — but rushing past the human side of change is a mistake. If organisations focus only on tools, systems, and processes, they risk creating cultures of fear where dissent is silenced and adoption stalls.
By contrast, when psychological safety is prioritised, teams can:
- Speak up about risks and errors before they escalate
- Surface diverse perspectives that strengthen fairness and inclusivity
- Experiment, iterate, and learn together
- Build trust in both the technology and in leadership.
The question is not whether AI will transform the world of work. It’s whether organisations will create the kind of culture where everyone feels safe enough to be part of that transformation.”
At Hive, we’re proud to have a Professional Services team made up of experienced coaches and consultants who help our customers get the very best out of their employee voice. One of those experts is Patti Turfrey, who brings a wealth of knowledge in workplace culture, change management, and psychological safety.
Patti has supported organisations through times of transformation, helping leaders not only listen to their people but also act on what they hear in ways that build trust and lasting impact.
