Creating Psychological Safety Through HR Leadership

Psychological safety is often discussed but rarely understood as a performance driver. Too often, it’s treated like a value statement or one-time training session.

In this episode, Dr. Bill Howatt joins Karina Young to discuss why that approach falls short and what needs to be done to make psychological safety measurable.

Bill, Chief Mental Health Officer and Founder of Howatt Human Resources Consulting Inc., shares what most leaders miss about emotional well-being at work and how to equip managers with habits that stick.

He and Karina also explore how conflict can strengthen teams, the problem with overcomplicated programs, and why less is more when it comes to learning. With clear advice on framing these conversations for executive buy-in, Bill helps HR leaders move from check-the-box efforts to culture-shaping strategy.

For anyone tasked with building safer, stronger teams, this episode is a practical look at what matters most: how people feel.

Join us as we discuss:

(00:00) Meet HR Superstar: Dr. Bill Howatt

(01:10) Why psychological safety is still misunderstood

(04:26) How employee feelings impact business outcomes

(06:50) When HR strategy works in isolation

(07:59) Reframing psychological safety for executive buy-in

(10:15) Misconceptions about mental health in the workplace

(14:58) Why most accountability efforts fall apart

(19:21) Conflict is a missed opportunity

(20:25) How trusted leaders navigate emotional friction

(27:51) Building a real psychological safety program

(34:07) Why less is more in HR training 

Resources:

For the entire interview, subscribe to HR Superstars on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube, or tune in on our website. Original podcast track produced by Entheo.

Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for HR Superstars in your favorite podcast player.

Hear Karina’s thoughts on elevating your HR career by following her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinayoung11/

Download 15Five’s Employee Engagement Playbook: https://www.15five.com/ebook/engage-to-excel-15fives-employee-engagement-playbook/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2_2023_Podcast_CTAs&utm_content=Employee

For more on maximizing employee performance, engagement, and retention, click here: https://www.15five.com/demo?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=Q2-Podcast-Ads&utm_content=Schedule-a-demo

Bill Howatt’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/howatthr/