Fostering Psychological Safety at Work: Insights from Marius Ciurariu

We had the pleasure to have Marius Ciurariu, as guest in one of the LIVE panels we organized in our community and we discovered his passion and interest for the subject related to the psychological safety at work. For this reason, I asked him and he was more than open to give me an interview for our members which I hope you will find it insightful.

Gabriela Roșca: Can you explain what psychological safety at work means to you and why it is important?

Marius Ciurariu: Psychological safety at work, for me, means creating an environment where employees feel safe to take risks, voice their opinions, and make mistakes without fear of retribution or humiliation. It is important because it fosters open communication, encourages innovation, and enhances team performance by ensuring everyone feels valued and respected. It’s not about being soft or pampering employees when they make a mistake; it’s about creating an environment where it’s safe to raise a hand and speak up. It is a culture—the way our people behave every day should contribute to a psychologically safe team

Gabriela Roșca: What initiatives or programs does your organization currently have in place to promote psychological safety?

Marius Ciurariu:

a) Compassion Training Program for Managers: This intensive experiential learning program focuses on building awareness of stress, anxiety, and burnout, starting with the managers themselves and then extending to their teams. The 6-month program is delivered by a trainer and a therapist, incorporating extensive practice and real-world application.

b) Fearless Organization Scanning: We utilize this tool, designed by Amy Edmondson, across all our teams. It involves measuring the level of psychological safety through a questionnaire, followed by a team debrief to discuss the results and identify areas for improvement.

F..k’up Parties: These sessions are held quarterly with our senior managers, where we openly discuss mistakes we’ve made, lessons learned, and the support we need from others. This practice encourages transparency and continuous growth.

Gabriela Roșca: How do you assess the level of psychological safety within your organization?

Marius Ciurariu: I would say we are at around an 8. Why? We are a company that does not tolerate unacceptable behaviors like shouting or humiliation. However, there are areas related to diversity and inclusion where we could improve. Our Fearless Organization Scanning revealed that our diversity and inclusion scores are relatively low. Upon further investigation, we discovered that humor and irony are significant barriers in some teams, preventing people from feeling included and diverse ideas from being fully accepted. This challenge stems from our informal culture and the long-standing relationships among many employees who have been with the company for years. For new joiners, a joke intended to be lighthearted can sometimes be perceived negatively, even if the intention was different.

Gabriela Roșca: How effective do you believe training programs for psychological safety at work are, and what metrics would you use to measure their success?

Marius Ciurariu: I believe training should be minimal and focused on clarifying what psychological safety is and what it is not. Psychological safety should be ingrained in the company culture rather than relying solely on training sessions. Instead of extensive training, it’s more effective to facilitate discussions around the behaviors you want to encourage and those you don’t want to see in your organization. To achieve this, it’s crucial to engage your board, senior management, and identify ambassadors who will actively promote these behaviours. So, to give a more comprehensive answer, training in isolation is not effective. It should be part of a broader program aimed at building a culture with behaviors relevant to your company that will drive psychological safety

Gabriela Roșca: How do leaders and managers in your organization contribute to creating and maintaining a psychologically safe environment?

Marius Ciurariu: Each leader across the organization facilitates discussions within their team about the level of psychological safety, using the Fearless Organization scan methodology. The outcome is a list of 3-5 defined behaviors that the team commits to transforming into routines, with each member taking ownership of holding one another accountable. Additionally, leaders engage in quarterly discussions as a community to address challenges they encounter in building this culture within their teams.

What’s crucial is the active involvement of the board and the CEO in this process. Building a culture of psychological safety isn’t just the responsibility of HR; it requires leadership at the highest levels to drive and sustain these efforts across the organization

Gabriela Roșca: What do you believe are the biggest challenges companies face in promoting psychological safety within their organization?

Marius Ciurariu: In Romania, the biggest challenge in promoting psychological safety is that it’s a relatively new topic, having not been addressed much in the past, so it requires time to gain traction. Other challenges include overcoming hierarchical barriers, where employees may fear speaking up due to power dynamics—a situation still present in some Romanian companies—and addressing existing workplace cultures that discourage vulnerability or mistake-making.

Ensuring consistent and genuine support from leadership is also crucial, as mixed signals from management can undermine efforts to create a psychologically safe environment. Finally, fostering open communication within diverse teams, with varying perspectives and backgrounds, can be challenging but is essential for achieving true psychological safety.

Gabriela Roșca: How do you address resistance or pushback from employees or management when implementing psychological safety measures?

Marius Ciurariu: When addressing resistance to psychological safety measures, it’s important to start by educating both employees and management on the benefits, directly linking them to improved performance, innovation, and well-being. I focus on creating small, safe spaces for open dialogue where concerns can be expressed without judgment. Demonstrating quick wins through pilot programs or team-level initiatives helps build trust and showcases the positive impact. Additionally, I ensure leadership models the desired behavior, as their commitment is key to overcoming skepticism and fostering a culture of safety throughout the organization.

Gabriela Roșca: Perhaps most importantly, consistency is crucial—maintaining steady messages, actions, and keeping this topic on our agenda is vital for long-term success.How do you believe psychological safety affects overall employee well-being and job performance?

Marius Ciurariu: Psychological safety positively impacts employee well-being by reducing stress and fostering an environment where individuals feel valued and respected. This, in turn, enhances job performance, as employees are more likely to take initiative, collaborate freely, and share innovative ideas without fear of negative consequences. When people feel safe to be themselves at work, their engagement and productivity naturally increase, leading to better overall outcomes for both employees and the organization.

Gabriela Roșca: Have you noticed any correlations between psychological safety and employee retention rates or job satisfaction?

Marius Ciurariu: Yes, in our pulse surveys and focus group discussions, psychological safety is frequently mentioned as having a positive impact on retention. Additionally, we’ve noticed a significant number of people returning to Provi after working elsewhere. When we interview them about their reasons for coming back, the work climate and the way we treat people are consistently cited as key factors. This underscores the importance of fostering a supportive and respectful environment

Gabriela Roșca: What lessons did you learn from this experience that could be applied to other areas of the business?

Consistency is key. There may be times when it feels like you’re not making progress, but it’s important to remember that, just like with weight gain, your everyday actions are gradually transforming into habits. This process takes time and can’t happen overnight—just as you can’t lose weight by going to the gym for just one day/month. Persistence and communication are essential in building a strong culture of psychological safety.

Gabriela Roșca: What advice would you give to other HR managers who are looking to improve psychological safety in their organizations?

Get your CEO on board with this concept it is not HR job to create this culture it is his or her’s role; they need to believe in it and make it a priority. Define the desired culture and measure where you currently stand in comparison to your goals. Then, talk openly and be consistent—improving psychological safety is not something that happens with just one training session or one discussion; it’s a journey

Gabriela Roșca: Are there any resources or tools you would recommend for learning more about psychological safety at work?

Marius Ciurariu: Yes, I recommend starting with Amy Edmondson’s book, The Fearless Organization, which provides a comprehensive understanding of psychological safety and practical insights on how to implement it in the workplace. Additionally, the Fearless Organization Scan is a valuable tool for measuring psychological safety within teams. Online resources like TED Talks, particularly Amy Edmondson’s talk on psychological safety, and platforms like the Harvard Business Review offer excellent articles and case studies on the topic. Engaging in workshops or training programs focused on psychological safety can also be beneficial for deepening your understanding and applying these concepts effectively.