Chapter 10: Psychological Safety as a Protective Factor for Workers’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review

The term psychological safety emerged in the 1960s in the area of change management in organizations. Only in the 1990s did it gain scientific traction with relevant empirical studies. Since then, and due to changes in context, environment, and work relations, it has been related to factors such as innovation, learning, and, in recent years, especially after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health. Given the seriousness of the issue of workers’ mental health, a systematic review of the literature on psychological safety is warranted as a possible protective factor. This article points out findings in recent literature. This article also shows gaps in the literature that support the positive relationship between psychological safety and workers’ mental health, suggesting future research.