Team Culture & Psychological Safety Audit

Psychological safety is a measurable condition within any team or organisation. It reflects the degree to which people feel able to speak openly, contribute honestly, and engage without fear of interpersonal risk. This audit provides a structured assessment of the behavioural conditions that enable or inhibit psychological safety at the team level. Each member of the team completes the audit individually, and their responses are combined to create a comprehensive picture of the team’s collective experience. The purpose is not evaluation for its own sake, but clarity: to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for improvement across the team environment.

How to Use This Audit

Each team member rates every statement from 1 to 5:

• 1 = Rarely true
• 5 = Consistently true

Once all individuals have completed the audit, their scores are aggregated to produce an overall team-level score. This combined score reflects the shared experience of psychological safety within the team. Before reviewing the results, consider patterns across individuals and across domains, not just isolated items. The final team score should be interpreted using the guidance provided below.

Assessment Domains

1. Emotional Safety
Evaluate the extent to which people in the team feel able to express themselves without fear of negative consequences.

• Individuals speak openly, even when views differ or issues are sensitive.
• Feedback is received constructively and not used to undermine others.
• Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities rather than grounds for blame.
• Meetings include space for reflection, emotional awareness, or wellbeing check-ins when appropriate.
• Interpersonal tension is addressed directly and resolved through dialogue.

2. Coherence
Assess the alignment between stated values, leadership behaviour, and everyday cultural practices within the team.

• Organisational values are consistently demonstrated in daily behaviour.
• Rituals, routines, and processes reinforce the culture rather than contradict it.
• Emotional or behavioural inconsistencies are acknowledged and addressed.
• People feel able to question decisions that appear misaligned with values or expectations.
• The culture feels authentic and stable, not performative or inconsistent.

3. Trust
Measure the reliability, transparency, and relational integrity within the team.

• Issues are raised early rather than withheld until they escalate.
• Leaders demonstrate vulnerability appropriately and model the behaviours they expect from others.
• Commitments—both relational and strategic—are honoured consistently.
• Feedback flows in all directions, not solely from senior to junior roles.
• People feel supported and valued, not merely supervised.

Why This Matters

Psychological safety is a core predictor of team performance, innovation, wellbeing, and retention. This audit provides a clear, evidence-based framework for understanding the behavioural conditions shaping your team’s culture. Every score—high or low—offers actionable insight into how the team can strengthen its environment and support people more effectively.