This Mental Health Month, Heléne Vermaak, Managing Director of The Human Edge*, urges organisations to look beyond traditional wellness initiatives and consider whether employees feel safe enough to speak out when something isn't right.
South African employees are under immense pressure. SADAG's Working Life Survey, conducted in 2024 with 963 employees, found that 52% had been diagnosed with a mental health condition, while 75% said they think about work even when they're not working and 61% wished they could afford to leave their jobs.
Vermaak says that an equally important question for employers is: do people feel safe enough to talk about what they are experiencing? A 2025 study examining workplace mental health among employees at a South African university found that just 28% felt comfortable disclosing mental health concerns at work. “This is where psychological safety becomes an important part of the workplace mental health conversation.”
Workplace wellbeing isn't only about helping people cope when they are struggling. “We need to look at whether we are creating an environment where they can express themselves and say, ‘I'm overwhelmed’, ‘I need help’, ‘I made a mistake’ or ‘I don't agree’ without fearing what will happen next,” says Vermaak.
Psychological safety is the belief that people can speak candidly, raise concerns, ask questions, or acknowledge mistakes without fear of humiliation or punishment. Importantly, it does not mean avoiding difficult conversations.
“Some of the most important conversations we have at work are uncomfortable,” says Vermaak. “Giving feedback can be uncomfortable. Challenging your manager can be uncomfortable. Admitting you have made a mistake can be uncomfortable. The goal isn't to remove the discomfort; it is to create enough safety for people to have the conversation anyway.”
“One of the dangers for leaders is assuming that a quiet team is a happy team,” says Vermaak. Silence can be misleading. “Employees may remain silent because they fear being perceived as difficult, negative, incompetent or unable to cope.” Every time somebody speaks up, the response they receive shows others whether it is safe to do the same.
Creating psychological safety requires deliberate behaviour from leaders. The Human Edge recommends that leaders:
- Invite different opinions. Ask what the team might be missing rather than simply asking whether everyone agrees.
- Manage their first reaction. Defensiveness when challenged quickly teaches people to remain silent.
- Make it safe to admit mistakes. Focus on understanding and learning before assigning blame.
- Don't confuse disagreement with disrespect. Healthy teams should be able to challenge ideas while maintaining respect.
- Listen for silence. Pay attention to people who have stopped contributing, questioning, or raising concerns.
Psychological safety also brings responsibility. Employees need the skills to raise difficult issues constructively and listen to perspectives they disagree with. Join Dr Khosi Jiyane and Heléne Vermaak for the free webinar – Reclaiming Psychological Safety on Tuesday, 13th October at 11 am as they unpack what psychological safety really requires in practice, challenge some of the misconceptions that have crept into the workplace, and explore how leaders can create environments where candour, accountability and respect can coexist.
“An open-door policy means very little if people don't feel safe walking through that door,” says Vermaak. This Mental Health Month, Vermaak suggests leaders ask a different question - “What conversations are people in our organisation currently too afraid to have?”
“The answer could tell you a great deal about the health of your workplace,” she concludes. “Sometimes one of the most powerful things an organisation can do for its people is make it safer to say: ‘Can we talk about this?’”
