Fear or Apathy? What stops employees speaking up

Feeling (un)heard at work? A representative study of how UK employees feel about speaking up

Our ‘Fear or Apathy?’ study reveals that many UK organisations are missing out on valuable insights and innovation. A lack of comfort in speaking up means that great ideas are going unheard.

Using data gathered from a representative sample of over 2,500 UK workers, this report explores what stops employees from speaking up, whose voices are being overlooked, and the link between psychological safety and accountability.

Key insights from the report include:

Two in five UK employers are keeping their heads down in the ‘apathy zone’.

Believing that people who make mistakes are treated fairly is key to unlocking safety to speak up.

Women are less likely than men to feel that their constructive challenge is valued.

Having psychological safety benefits the wider employee experience and can lead to more positive wellbeing, advocacy and intent to stay.

Download the report to understand what is holding people, and organisations, back from achieving a psychologically safe culture.

For more information, or any questions about the report, email ghassan.karian@ipsos.com

Research and reporting team

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