MANAGERIAL INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEE PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS

Povzetek

Psychological safety has emerged as a critical determinant of team effectiveness, innovation, and overall organizational performance. In high-performance teams, where collaboration, rapid decision-making, and accountability are paramount, employees' willingness to voice ideas, report errors, and share constructive feedback is profoundly influenced by the behaviors of managers. This study investigates the impact of managerial actions, leadership styles, and communication practices on the psychological safety of team members, ultimately influencing team performance and resilience. Drawing upon recent organizational behavior literature and empirical studies, the review emphasizes the dual role of managers as both facilitators and potential barriers to psychological safety. Managers who demonstrate inclusive leadership, empathetic communication, and consistent support cultivate an environment in which employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to express opinions without fear of ridicule or retaliation. Such behaviors encourage experimentation, knowledge sharing, and proactive problem-solving, all of which are essential for sustaining high-performance standards. Conversely, authoritarian, inconsistent, or unsupportive managerial practices can erode trust, discourage open dialogue, and contribute to workplace anxiety, ultimately undermining team cohesion and productivity. The study further explores how team-level factors, such as interdependence, diversity, and workload pressures, interact with managerial influence to shape psychological safety. Evidence suggests that managers who actively recognize individual contributions, provide constructive feedback, and foster collaborative norms can buffer the adverse effects of high-pressure work environments. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of continuous managerial development programs that emphasize emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, and adaptive leadership skills, which are instrumental in promoting sustainable psychological safety across teams. By synthesizing theoretical perspectives and empirical findings, this review underscores the centrality of managerial influence in fostering psychologically safe high-performance teams. It advocates for the deliberate cultivation of leadership practices that balance accountability with support, challenge with encouragement, and structure with flexibility. Ultimately, enhancing psychological safety not only improves employee well-being and engagement but also drives team innovation, efficiency, and long-term organizational success.