The Policy & Perception of Risk-Taking
A new study, “Workplace Innovation at Risk: Why Fear Still Lives in Supportive Cultures,” recently shed light on the fear factor in innovation and the workplace. The survey, from Intoo and conducted by The Harris Poll, found nearly three out of four full/part-time employed Americans (74%) say they are expected to bring new ideas to improve things at work, such as creative solutions, fresh strategies, and better processes.
This is not necessarily a new phenomenon. But the study shows that even innovative companies that promote psychological safety, workplace innovation is often diminished by the fear factor. While 78% say they regularly bring new ideas to improve things at work, nearly two-thirds (64%) wish they were more innovative at work. The poll seems to indicate that while corporate culture says it demands creativity and open collaboration, there’s still an aspiration gap. Employees feel like they should be doing more but are afraid to push the boundaries.
With that said, 30% of respondents also don’t wish they were more innovative. This group may feel satisfied with their contributions or perhaps wary of the risks that come with pushing boundaries. The fear of risk taking is key here. Two in five employed Americans (41%) are afraid that if they make a mistake at work, such as giving wrong information or forgetting to complete a task, it could result in being fired. In a world demanding experimentation, 41% are worried that a mistake could cost them their job.
As Intoo notes, “That fear isn’t abstract. It can live in the hesitation before speaking up in a meeting. In the decision to play it safe rather than propose something bold. In the second-guessing after hitting ‘send.’”
With both fear and safety mixing in the workplace, it’s a challenge to achieve a balance. Intoo, for its part, seems to feel that there is always going to be some anxiety in an innovative culture, even a supportive one where mistakes are presented as learning opportunities.
Intoo notes, “And yet, the emotional undercurrent tells another story. A significant minority—nearly one in five (17%)—disagree that their manager is always receptive to their new ideas. And 41% fear termination for everyday mistakes like giving someone wrong information or forgetting to complete a task/completing incorrectly. That gap between policy and perception is where innovation either thrives or stalls. Psychological safety isn’t just about what leaders say. It’s about what employees believe will happen when something goes wrong.”
Additional Resources
Moving Past Innovation Roadblocks
With the pace of change accelerating, fostering innovation in corporate enterprises can be a challenging task—a task that is very much dependent on the innovation culture, the team, the leadership, stakeholder engagement, cross collaboration, and other key factors. Some companies may find themselves ineffective at innovation or transformative initiatives. They’ve hit the roadblocks of innovation. Here, we look at a few of the common challenges that prevent innovation, what might be the cause of such problems, and a few solutions that could be leveraged.
Creating a Safe Space for Innovation
The survey from Intoo and Harris Poll portrays a rather mixed signal when it comes to workplace innovation culture, with 79% saying mistakes are typically treated as learning opportunities; 81% feel safe trying new things to improve business results; 82% would feel safe admitting they don’t know something at work, without worrying about being fired; and 77% say their manager is always receptive to their new ideas. It seems both fear and safety can be exhibited at times in the workplace.
But there is a gap between what company policy may be and what employees actually believe will happen if things go off course. Therein lies an opportunity to close that gap and to truly create an open environment where experimentation is encouraged and creativity is accelerated.
Intoo notes that an organization should ask themselves:
- Do employees believe mistakes are learning opportunities, or just hear that they are?
- Do managers model vulnerability and admit their own knowledge gaps?
- Is feedback after failure framed constructively?
- Are there visible examples of people who tried something bold, failed, and thrived anyway?
A final question from Intoo asks, “When your employees take that leap, do they feel like they’re flying—or falling?”
Video: “From Fear to Flourishing: How Psychological Safety Fuels Innovation: Leo Chan,” courtesy of TEDx Talks.
