Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Trust and communication are essential for good working relationships. And good working relationships create better outcomes for the organization. By better outcomes, I mean productivity and profitability.
When organizations create workplaces where employees feel they can trust the people they work with and express concerns when necessary, it’s called psychological safety. Part of psychological safety is the relationship piece. Many organizations include discussions about psychological safety in their management development programs.
I recently listened to a webinar titled “Safe Spaces: Unlocking the Power of Psychological Safety” where speaker Rebecca Greier Horton, PG, WELL AP, REM, talked about another aspect of psychological safety – the physical workspace. Do employees feel safe in their environment? Does the workplace bring out the best in their performance?
I’ve known Rebecca for years so I asked if she would help us understand more about the connection between psychological safety and the workplace, and thankfully she said yes. Rebecca is a senior global insights strategist for MillerKnoll. In her role, Rebecca works with MillerKnoll clients to develop solutions that address an organizations’ physical, social, and cognitive needs. Prior to her work at MillerKnoll, she led environmental, health, safety, and sustainability efforts at organizations like AT&T and Bombardier Aerospace.
Rebecca, thanks so much for being here. Let’s start with a definition. What is psychological safety and why should organizations care about it?
[Greier Horton] Psychological safety is all about creating an environment where people feel safe to speak up—where they can share ideas, ask questions, raise concerns, or admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or judgment. And right now, with everything we’re seeing—burnout, anxiety, and disengagement, this couldn’t be more important.
Reports like Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace (2024), Deloitte’s Mental Health & Employers (2024), and the WHO’s From Loneliness to Social Connection (2025) are waving red flags: employees are struggling. The good news is, we know where to focus and what we are trying to solve for.
Dr. Amy Edmondson, one of my favorite thinkers in this space, put psychological safety on the map decades ago. Her research showed that the most innovative, highest-performing teams are the ones where people feel safe to be themselves. When teams practice what she calls ‘kind candor’, it breaks down the fear that usually impedes communication. That’s not just good for mental wellbeing—it powers innovation.
For organizations, the takeaway is simple: want engaged, creative, mentally healthy employees? Start with psychological safety. It’s a solid strategy for long-term success.
Often when we talk about psychological safety, we think about relationships. But during your webinar, you talked about the role that workplace design plays. You don’t have to give away everything you mentioned during the webinar, but can you share a little about how workplace design helps to build psychological safety?
[Greier Horton] Yes! Traditionally, workplace design has focused heavily on activities—think of the decades long Activity-Based Work (ABW) movement. But over time, we’ve realized something deeper: it’s not just what you do, it’s who you do it with—and how you feel while doing it.
MillerKnoll has shifted toward what we call Relationship-Based Work (RBW). This approach puts connection, wellbeing, and change at the core of workplace design. Instead of designing just for tasks, we design for social dynamics—building spaces that support everything from casual encounters to deep collaboration. That includes quiet nooks for reflection, open zones for teamwork, and areas that feel genuinely welcoming.
When people feel they belong and their relationships are supported by the environment, psychological safety grows, and people flourish. Space itself becomes a tool—not just for productivity, but for trust, connection, and creativity.
Over the past few months, many organizations are announcing return to the office (RTO) plans. As they’re getting ready for employees to return, what are 2–3 things they should be thinking about from a workplace design perspective (to create psychological safety)?
[Greier Horton] The employees coming back might have the same ID numbers—but let’s be real, they’re not the same people. The world has changed, we’ve changed and so have our needs. The most forward-thinking companies are honoring that.
Part of psychological safety is knowing you are understood. One of the biggest complaints I hear is ‘I come in and everyone’s on a Teams call – I could have stayed at home!’ When employers demonstrate and communicate that the office is a place for human connection, not just a stage for virtual calls, employees feel seen and heard. The new focus of the physical office is on meaningful, in-person interactions. Here are a few key things to think about:
Control and choice are essential. We crave the ability to choose where and how we work—not just plopping down at the same desk every day. Whether it’s a soft seating area for heads-down time or a collaborative zone for brainstorming, variety matters. It keeps us stimulated and mentally connected.
Related to control and choice is noise sensitivity. It always has been but after years of controlling our home work environments, we’ve lost tolerance for distractions like loud talkers (or worse, loud snackers). So, design needs to offer better acoustic zoning and privacy on demand—think quiet zones, focus rooms, or even just a well-designed ‘respite space’ where someone can take a breather and reset emotionally.
And on a bigger scale, space metrics are evolving. It’s not about how many desks you can squeeze in—it’s about the quality of experience. If you’re flying people in from across the globe, are you hosting them in a sterile hotel conference room? Or are you creating your own innovative spaces that support real, meaningful interaction?
It’s about designing for human experience, not just efficiency.
Let’s flip the last question. As employees are thinking about spending more time in the office, what are some things they need to be thinking about—so they can feel more comfortable at work?
[Greier Horton] If you’re heading back into the office, the key is to find ways to regain that sense of choice and control—not just as an individual, but as part of a group and community.
One thing we’re seeing work really well is the concept of ‘neighborhoods’—clusters of different types of workpoints grouped together. Maybe it’s a mix of desks, high counters with stools, lounge seating with side tables… whatever suits different work styles. This gives people flexibility, and it just feels more natural—like your home setup, but social.
For managers, this setup also relieves some of that pressure around ‘coffee badging’ and visibility. With neighborhoods, people naturally cross paths, interact organically, and stay connected—without being tethered to the same chair all day.
In short: seek out environments where you can move, breathe, and connect. You deserve to feel like you belong there.
Last question. And this is related to hybrid work. Over the past few years, many people have designed workspace in their homes (aka the home office). I’m not sure I see that completely going away. But for many it’s still important to have a home workspace that allows a person to do their best work. What are 1–2 things that people should consider when designing a home workspace?
[Greier Horton] Oh, home workspaces are here to stay—and they’re just as important to get right. There are a couple non-negotiables if you want to protect your wellbeing:
First up, ergonomics. You need a proper task chair, a worksurface that fits you, and a real monitor/keyboard/mouse setup. Balancing a laptop on your knees from the couch? Cute for 10 minutes, but it’s a fast track to tech neck and long-term strain.
Second, think sensory wellness—light, air, and sound matter. Natural light, access to outdoor views, some plants (hello, biophilia), clean air filters, and ideally, the ability to close a door when you need to focus. These little design choices make a big difference in how you feel and perform.
People have made their home offices personal, creative, and comfortable and that tells us something important. If organizations want people to reconnect with their offices, they’ll need to create spaces that feel just as welcoming, human-centered, and psychologically safe.
I want to thank Rebecca for sharing her insights with us. If you want to learn more, check out MillerKnoll’s Insights page where they share articles and podcasts.
Organizations and employees want the same thing – to perform well. That means not only having good working relationships but creating a workplace that allows employees to perform at a high level.
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