Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study
Purpose: Psychological safety has attracted a fair amount of research in recent years, with most scholars focusing on its importance in driving team performance. Little attention, although, has been given to how leaders build an environment of psychological safety, especially in hybrid work teams in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-06-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Business Management |
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| Online Access: | https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4802 |
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| author | Ntando Ngubane Gloria Mbokota |
| author_facet | Ntando Ngubane Gloria Mbokota |
| author_sort | Ntando Ngubane |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Psychological safety has attracted a fair amount of research in recent years, with most scholars focusing on its importance in driving team performance. Little attention, although, has been given to how leaders build an environment of psychological safety, especially in hybrid work teams in organisations, which have become popular since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study aimed to explore how leaders create a psychologically safe environment for hybrid work teams, including the required leader competencies.
Design/methodology/approach: This was a cross-sectional qualitative study in which 20 managers from 13 multinationals in the fast-moving consumer goods sector were interviewed to share their views on how they built psychological safety, and the leader competencies needed to create such an environment for hybrid work teams.
Findings/results: While managers are generally aware of the importance of psychological safety in their organisations, the latter has not been given the priority attention it deserves. It should be a strategic imperative to ensure that leaders develop the competencies (such as emotional intelligence and accountability) needed to create and maintain a psychologically safe environment.
Practical implications: Building on Edmondson’s framework, the study contributes a three-phase framework to guide leaders in creating a psychologically safe environment in which hybrid work teams can thrive.
Originality/value: Whereas most previous studies on psychological safety have been conducted in relation to traditional teams, this study extends the application of psychological safety theory on hybrid work teams. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c024e56c75f3460d9093b56e4c21e2ac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-5585 2078-5976 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Business Management |
| spelling | doaj-art-c024e56c75f3460d9093b56e4c21e2ac2025-08-20T03:31:02ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Business Management2078-55852078-59762025-06-01561e1e1310.4102/sajbm.v56i1.48021450Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector studyNtando Ngubane0Gloria Mbokota1Gordon Institute of Business Science, Faculty of Economic and Management Science, University of Pretoria, Sandton CityGordon Institute of Business Science, Faculty of Economic and Management Science, University of Pretoria, Sandton CityPurpose: Psychological safety has attracted a fair amount of research in recent years, with most scholars focusing on its importance in driving team performance. Little attention, although, has been given to how leaders build an environment of psychological safety, especially in hybrid work teams in organisations, which have become popular since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This study aimed to explore how leaders create a psychologically safe environment for hybrid work teams, including the required leader competencies. Design/methodology/approach: This was a cross-sectional qualitative study in which 20 managers from 13 multinationals in the fast-moving consumer goods sector were interviewed to share their views on how they built psychological safety, and the leader competencies needed to create such an environment for hybrid work teams. Findings/results: While managers are generally aware of the importance of psychological safety in their organisations, the latter has not been given the priority attention it deserves. It should be a strategic imperative to ensure that leaders develop the competencies (such as emotional intelligence and accountability) needed to create and maintain a psychologically safe environment. Practical implications: Building on Edmondson’s framework, the study contributes a three-phase framework to guide leaders in creating a psychologically safe environment in which hybrid work teams can thrive. Originality/value: Whereas most previous studies on psychological safety have been conducted in relation to traditional teams, this study extends the application of psychological safety theory on hybrid work teams.https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4802psychological safetyleadership developmentleadership competencieshybrid work teamse-leadership. |
| spellingShingle | Ntando Ngubane Gloria Mbokota Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study South African Journal of Business Management psychological safety leadership development leadership competencies hybrid work teams e-leadership. |
| title | Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study |
| title_full | Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study |
| title_fullStr | Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study |
| title_short | Leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams: A South African FMCG sector study |
| title_sort | leader competencies for building psychological safety in hybrid teams a south african fmcg sector study |
| topic | psychological safety leadership development leadership competencies hybrid work teams e-leadership. |
| url | https://sajbm.org/index.php/sajbm/article/view/4802 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ntandongubane leadercompetenciesforbuildingpsychologicalsafetyinhybridteamsasouthafricanfmcgsectorstudy AT gloriambokota leadercompetenciesforbuildingpsychologicalsafetyinhybridteamsasouthafricanfmcgsectorstudy |