As organizations grapple with an era of relentless change and unpredictability, one thing is becoming clear: the most successful organizations will be those that master human psychology and create environments where people are able to contribute, innovate, and grow.

In this shifting landscape, leaders are under increasing pressure to guide their teams through uncertainty while maintaining engagement and performance. The question is no longer if workplace culture must evolve—but how leaders can shape this transformation effectively.

Getting Back to the Fundamentals

To take a step back and cut through the noise, some fundamental truths stand.

Organizational growth and success is governed by collective team performance, which is determined by the effectiveness of team members to be productive, contribute, collaborate, and innovate.

But what lies at the heart of a high-performing team? The answer is rooted in the fundamentals of the brain. Scientific research has consistently shown that high-performing teams thrive when their core brain needs—security, autonomy, fairness, esteem, and trust—are met. These needs form the foundation of psychological safety, enabling individuals to contribute freely, take risks, and drive innovation.

By understanding and addressing these fundamental brain needs, leaders can help their teams build resilience, navigate uncertainty, handle challenges, and sustain peak performance. The ability to think creatively, collaborate effectively, and remain engaged is directly tied to how well leaders foster an environment that aligns with these innate human drivers.

The Future Is Uncertain, But…

The need for workplace environments that encourage contribution and innovation has never been greater. And we’re going to have to think and work differently to accomplish it. Here’s some ideas:

1. Shift the Language, Not the Mission

• Rather than focusing on rigid compliance programs, emphasize belonging, respect, and psychological safety as key components of workplace culture.
• Frame discussions around trust, engagement, and performance rather than broad organizational mandates.

2. Align with Business Outcomes

• Executive teams respond to data. Connect workplace culture efforts to tangible business outcomes such as increased productivity, improved decision-making, and higher retention rates.
• Studies show that psychologically safe teams consistently outperform others. Use evidence-based insights to demonstrate the connection between psychological safety and company performance.

3. Build Psychological Safety as the Foundation

• Psychological safety focuses on core human needs—security, autonomy, fairness, esteem, and trust—making it an essential tool for reducing workplace anxiety and fostering high-performance teams.
• By creating an environment where employees feel comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and expressing themselves, businesses naturally cultivate stronger collaboration and problem-solving.
• Utilize measurable frameworks like the SAFETY™ Model and the PS Pulse™ to assess and track workplace psychological safety alongside business performance.

Psychological Safety: The Great Equalizer

It’s looking increasingly like the future of workplace culture isn’t going to be about traditional programs and approaches—it’s going to be about leveraging neuroscience to enhance performance and positively impact the bottom line.

Brain-based Psychological Safety is the great equalizer, the next evolution of workplace experience that transcends the embattled culture landscape.

We define Psychological Safety as:

The state in which one’s brain needs for security, autonomy, fairness, esteem, and trust are met in a social context. (Academy of Brain-based Leadership)

When this occurs, teams feel safe to take interpersonal risks without fear of negative consequences. This fosters a culture of openness, trust, and continuous learning—critical factors in each and every team, regardless of the organization.

‘You Can’t Manage What You Can’t Measure’

One of the most effective models for fostering psychological safety is the SAFETY Model™, which outlines six core human needs that shape workplace behavior: Security, Autonomy, Fairness, Esteem, Trust and ‘You’ (the wildcard).

An individual can discover their sensitivity to each of these drivers by completing our validated and science-backed SAFETY™ assessment.

This allows them to know their own psychological safety needs. When used inside a workshop, teams learn the spread of needs, where individuals sit within the spread, and how to create ways to meet these needs to improve performance.

We have a cadre of more than 200 Practitioners who are Accredited to use this tool with the people and teams they work with. Check out this case study.

Furthermore, ABL is about to launch the PS Pulse™, a short pulse survey that measures a team’s current Psychological Safety experience, based on the core drivers of SAFETY™. This provides science-backed indicators for time-sensitive, positive action through providing comparative historical data.

If this is of interest to you, put ‘YES PLEASE’ in the comments and we’ll be sure to send you a link for a free PS Pulse™ when we launch.

The Path Forward: Leveraging the Brain to Drive High Performance

Cultural and economic shifts require organizations to evolve how they approach team dynamics. This is an opportunity for leaders to focus on what truly matters—creating workplaces where individuals and teams perform at their best.

For managers and leadership teams, the next steps are clear:

• Speak the language of the brain. Psychological safety applies universally to all employees and helps create an environment where everyone can contribute effectively.
• Measure what matters. Instead of tracking abstract benchmarks, focus on measuring neuroscience backed psychological safety data points and their correlations to engagement, retention, and business performance.
• Make psychological safety a business strategy, not a compliance requirement. Organizations that prioritize psychological safety see improved collaboration, innovation, and long-term success.

As the workplace evolves, the fundamental goal remains unchanged: building environments where people can do their best work. Psychological safety provides the path forward—one that is evidence-based, universally applicable, and essential for innovation and success.

So, is Workplace Culture Shifting?

Absolutely it is. But the future belongs to organizations that understand human psychology and create environments where employees feel safe to contribute, take risks, and innovate.

By embracing the SAFETY™ Model and centering workplace culture around human needs, leaders can build thriving organizations where teams perform at their highest level. The goal hasn’t changed—only the approach has. And psychological safety is the future.

Join the Conversation on Linkedin Live

In a world of constant change, uncertainty can impact productivity, engagement, and well-being—especially for diverse teams. This LinkedIn Live session will give you practical neuroscience-backed tools to foster resilience, emotional regulation, and psychological safetywithin your teams.

Featuring insights from Leonie Hull, Dr. Dan Radecki, and expert panelists, we’ll also introduce PS Pulse, a groundbreaking tool that measures team psychological safety.

📅 Date:Wednesday, March 26

⏰ Time:3 PM PT | 6 PM ET

📍 LinkedIn Live

Join the conversation and learn how to navigate uncertainty together!

REGISTER HERE

If you’re reading this, you likely understand that chronic stress is wreaking havoc on our bodies and minds. But did you know that workplace uncertainty is one of the biggest stressors employees face today?

A 2023 global Gallup survey of over 122,000 employees in 160 countries found that 44% of employees reported experiencing “a lot of stress” at work—a record high since the survey began 13 years ago. It would not be unreasonable to speculate that that figure has likely increased significantly with the shifting landscape of workplaces.

As businesses navigate layoffs, restructuring, AI adoption, and evolving workplace norms, uncertainty is becoming a silent epidemic—fueling anxiety, disengagement, and even chronic disease.

But what if we could take control of stress before it takes control of us? New neuroscience research is revealing the hidden ways workplace stress impacts our health—and how we can proactively manage it.

Stress, Change, and the Surprising Link to Diabetes

While stress is commonly associated with burnout and mental health struggles, recent research has uncovered a shocking connection between workplace stress and diabetes.

For years, scientists believed obesity was the primary cause of Type 2 diabetes. However, new studies suggest that chronic stress—not just weight—may be the real culprit.

Take David, for example. He’s been working at the same company for 12 years. He used to feel secure in his role, but after a major corporate restructuring, things changed. Leadership became vague about future plans, rumors about layoffs started swirling, and suddenly, David found himself lying awake at night, plagued with anxiety about his job.

His brain interpreted this lack of security as a threat, flooding his body with stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, his blood sugar levels rose, and at his next doctor’s appointment, he was diagnosed with pre-diabetes—despite no significant changes in his diet or weight.

David’s situation isn’t unique. When people lack security at work—when expectations are unclear, priorities constantly shift, or layoffs loom—it triggers a physiological stress response.

And when that stress becomes chronic, it can fundamentally alter the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and fat storage, increasing the risk of diabetes. This is in addition to the known systemic inflammation associated with chronic stress, which has been associated with depression and dementia.

Why the Brain Hates Uncertainty

Throughout human evolution, our brains have been wired for predictability and safety. In the past, stress came from immediate survival threats—predators, food scarcity, or war.

Today, stressors are more psychological in nature:

• A promotion you didn’t get—even though you were the top performer. (Fairness)
• A micromanaging boss who dictates every step of your work. (Autonomy)
• A new CEO who won’t share their vision, leaving employees in the dark. (Security)
• A company reorg that shifts your role without consulting you. (Trust)

Even though these aren’t life-or-death situations, the brain reacts as if they are—releasing stress hormones that, over time, wreak havoc on our cognitive, emotional and physical health.

How Stress Impacts Work Performance

Samantha is a mid-level manager at a global tech firm. After a recent merger, she found herself reporting to a new boss who rarely provided feedback. She wasn’t sure where she stood, if her ideas were valued, or whether her job was even secure.

As a result, she became distracted, disengaged, and exhausted. Her stress didn’t just affect her—it affected her entire team. You see, our brains are intricately wired to detect even subtle changes in the internal emotional states of those around us, so her employees picked up on her unease, and within weeks, productivity dropped.

What Samantha was experiencing was a threat to her esteem and trust—two essential components of workplace well-being and psychological safety. The brain is wired for social connection, and when we don’t feel seen, heard, or valued, it triggers the same brain regions associated with physical pain.

In a time of workplace instability, managers must be proactive in creating psychological safety, making sure employees feel:

• Secure about their future (even in uncertain times)
• Empowered with autonomy over their work
• Respected and treated fairly (both for themselves and for those around them)
• Valued for their contributions
• Connected to a strong support system

The Hidden Cost of Micromanagement

Have you ever had a boss who controlled every little detail of your work? If so, you probably know how frustrating and stressful that can be.

That’s because the brain craves autonomy—a sense of control over our environment. When people feel micromanaged or powerless in their roles, it activates the same fight-or-flight response that would have been triggered by a physical threat in ancient times.

Take Melissa, a senior marketing strategist. Her new director had a tendency to override decisions, request unnecessary approvals, and insist on reviewing everything before it was sent out. Even though Melissa was an expert in her field, she started second-guessing herself, losing confidence in her abilities.

Over time, this lack of autonomy led to burnout, disengagement, and stress-related health issues. Melissa wasn’t just frustrated—her body was in a constant state of heightened stress.

The solution? Giving employees freedom and decision-making power not only reduces stress but also boosts creativity, problem-solving, and overall engagement.

How to Take Control of Stress Before It Takes Control of You

1. Recognize Your Stress Triggers

Everyone reacts to different stressors based on their life experiences. The key is to identify what drives YOUR stress response—is it a lack of clarity? A feeling of unfairness? A micromanaging boss?

Our SAFETY™ Self-Assessment measures your sensitivities to the 5 drivers of psychological safety providing insights into what increases your engagement and performance, and what derails it.

2. Advocate for Psychological Safety in Your Workplace

If you’re a leader, make clarity, fairness, and trust a priority. Be transparent about changes, promotions, and expectations—because uncertainty breeds stress.

3. Reframe the Narrative

Instead of viewing workplace change as a threat, reframe it as an opportunity for growth. The way you think about stress can change its impact on your body.

4. Take Action to Reduce Chronic Stress

• Create boundaries between work and personal life.
• Take microbreaks to reset your nervous system.
• Practice mindfulness or deep breathing exercises.
• Strengthen workplace connections—social support is a powerful stress buffer.

Final Thoughts: Turning Uncertainty Into Strength

Workplace change is inevitable. But how we navigate uncertainty determines whether it drains us—or empowers us.

At ABL, we specialize in helping organizations take a proactive approach to managing stress and improving performance. By using science-backed models and validated assessments, we give individuals and teams the tools they need to reduce workplace anxiety, boost engagement, and create thriving, high-performing teams.

Want to Learn More?

• Read our bestselling book: Psychological Safety: The Key to Happy, High-Performing People & Teams by Dan Radecki & Leonie Hull.
• Learn about the SAFETY™ Model and take the SAFETY™ Self-Assessment to understand your stress triggers.
• Watch our webinar: Building a Culture of Psychological Safety.
• Become an Accredited Psychological SAFETY™ Practitioner and help others better navigate stress in the workplace.
• Learn more about our Workplace Solutions