b'ENGAGEMENTmembers of a team that they wont be embarrassed,How do they work with other rejected, punished, or humiliated for speaking up.departments? Team members can openly voice ideas, questions,Friction between departments is one of the most concerns, or mistakes. When you have psychologicalcommon issues organizations face on a regular basis, safety on your team, people truly feel comfortableand there is still work to do here. When it comes to being themselves.interacting with other departments, very few believe Nearly half (48%) of employees arent always com- their department works as well as they could with fortable being themselves in the workplace. Manag- others. Only 23% report that departments commu-ers are much more comfortable2 out of 3 managersnicate and collaborate extremely well at their agree they can really be themselves in the work- workplace, which is down 4 points from last year. place. As in other areas, it seems theres a disconnectWhile 65% believe there is room for improvement, between the way managers are feeling and the mes- 12% say its a serious problem. sage theyre sending to their employees.The onus is on the department heads to build a path Do people feel heard?to partnership and remove any obstacles that stand in It goes without saying that a strong Valued Voicethe way. The lack of collaboration between teams can requires everyone to believe their voices are valued.squash employee engagement. Break down the silos to boost collaboration between departments. Estab-lish clear communication channels, utilizing regular meetings, e-mail groups, and instant messaging. Also, look for opportunities to bring departments together 1 in 3 employees doesntto work on a no-stress project or initiative. feel their opinions matter at To help individual employees support more posi-work. tive interactions, provide training and development opportunities that improve communication, negoti-ation skills, and conflict resolution. Finally, recognize and reward employees who demonstrate the collab-When people feel as though their opinions dontorative behaviors you want to see. This will reinforce matter, overall creativity dwindles because perspec- a culture of collaboration and encourage others to tives are limited. 1 in every 3 employees doesnt feelfollow suit. their opinions matter at work. Managers feel their voices are slightly more valued. 1 in every 4 managersEarned Trust: Integrity and feels their opinions dont matter.Accountability People can be afraid to share their ideas when psy-chological safety isnt consistent throughout theDo people have faith in the integrity of organization. This leads to a halt in the diversity oftheir leaders? thoughts, minds, and approaches, which has a neg-ative impact on innovationAKA, your bottom line.Earned Trust gives people confidence in company Lead with humility, curiosity, and empathy to promotedecisions and faith in the integrity of not only their psychological safety. Be humble by acknowledging anymanagers but also the leaders of the company. With-mistakes youve made, asking for help, and openlyout trust, establishing a strong culture with high levels accepting feedback from others. Show curiosity byof engagement is impossible. asking open-ended questions to gain insight from30% of survey respondents dont have faith in the others. And last but not least, be empathetic by takingintegrity of all their company leaders, with 5% of the time to walk in someone elses shoes. Genuinelyrespondents reporting they dont have faith in any appreciate someones willingness to be vulnerable andcompany leaders overall. These numbers remain be vulnerable with them in return.consistent, regardless of the work model, but they 122 ENGAGE 2023: The Company Culture Report'