Predicting psychological safety: the moderating role of gender congruence

Abstract

Psychological safety was initially introduced as a concept approximately six decades ago. The research in this area experienced a renaissance in the 1990’s—a boom motivated by recognizing the challenge of navigating uncertainty and the changing nature of organizations. Today, theoretical and practical significance of psychological safety is amplified by the increasingly complex and interdependent nature of the work in organizations across industries. Using data collected by Mental Health Research Canada as part of their 2021 Guarding Minds at Work survey, a final sample of 1539 participants demonstrated that support from one’s supervisor and respect from one’s peers contribute positively to perceptions of psychological safety. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that these relationships would be moderated by gender congruence of the industry such that the relationships would be stronger for individuals in gender-incongruent industries. This hypothesis was found to be partially supported, indicating that the relationship between supervisor support and psychological safety was strongest for women who work in male-dominated industries. The study's limitations and implications for research and practitioners are discussed. Keywords: psychological safety, supervisor support, perceived civility climate, gender congruence, male-dominated industries, female-dominated industries.