Training
When
Developing skills in having difficult conversations, intervening in inappropriate behaviour, or collaborating inclusively.
What
Tailored after intake. Practical and grounded, with scenarios from your own work and practice with actors.
Home › Our expertise
Our expertise
Our expertise to safe, inclusive teams
We work with universities, government, healthcare and knowledge-intensive companies on psychological safety, social safety and inclusion. Scientifically grounded, integral, and focused on lasting results.
Definitions
three terms, three definitions
In conversation, psychological safety, social safety and inclusion are often used interchangeably. For us, they're three distinct concepts that reinforce each other.
Climate
Psychological safety
The space to ask questions, make mistakes and share ideas without fear of being penalised for it. The climate in which teams learn and innovate.
Belonging
Inclusion
People feel seen, valued and part of the team. Differences are actively used. Inclusion doesn't follow automatically from diversity; it requires deliberate behaviour, policy and culture.
Our expertise
Three layers, one system
Social safety and inclusion don't just happen. They call for simultaneous work on three levels: organisation, team and behaviour & culture. Tackle only one, and the system pushes the change back.
Layer 1
Organisation
Structure, policy, processes and communication form the framework within which people work. That framework is often treated as a given, while it's actually where the greatest leverage sits: with the right choices, inclusive behaviour becomes the norm rather than the exception.
Layer 2
Team
How is the team composed, who holds which role, and how are decisions made? Leadership, division of tasks and working agreements determine whether people feel safe enough to do their best work and to speak up when something doesn't sit right.
Layer 3
Behaviour & culture
What do people do day to day, and which (unwritten) norms drive that behaviour? This is where it comes down to role-modelling by managers, practising difficult situations, and surfacing patterns that would otherwise stay below the radar.
Expertise
our expertise
We combine proven methods and specialised materials with years of hands-on experience. To see how we work, explore our guides in the resources section.
Inclusive recruitment & objective selection
→How do you recruit the right candidate for your organisation while staying alert to your own pitfalls?
Inclusion: from theory to reality
→Inclusion is the outcome of an interplay of organisational structure, policy, processes, communication, behaviour and culture. How do you create an inclusive organisation?
Social safety
→How do you prevent inappropriate or transgressive behaviour? How do you intervene when it does happen? What's the role of the manager and of policy?
Inclusive strategy and policy development
→It all starts with a sound decision. How do you make an inclusive decision that involves all relevant parties without it becoming a free-for-all?
Services
How we work together
We work in three distinct ways, tailored to where your challenges or ambitions lie, often using a combination of all three.
Team coaching
When
When a team gets stuck in patterns, goes through a transition, or when a new team needs to reach peak effectiveness quickly.
What
Multiple sessions over a longer period. We surface patterns, practise skills and build agreements that stick.
Analysis & consultancy
When
When you want to change something, but don't know exactly what's causing the issue or which levers to pull to get the change you want.
What
An analysis with recommendations. For example:
- Behavioural analysis: what behaviour is happening and what's driving it?
- Sentiment analysis: what do people in the team or department really think?
- Structure or process analysis: how is the organisation or process set up, and what does that imply?
Our recommendations focus on one clear goal: how to make it better.
Sources & further reading
A short selection of sources we draw on. Want to read more on a topic? Our articles and guides are in the resources section.
Edmondson, A., The Fearless Organization (2018)
The standard work on psychological safety in teams.
SER: Guide to social safety at work
Practical guide for employers, with the legal framework (Dutch).
KNAW (2022), Social Safety in Dutch Academia
Essential for anyone trying to understand social safety in the academic context.
Kahneman, D., Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011)
On the psychological mechanisms behind decision-making and bias.
Behavioural Change Academy
The behaviour-change model we use for analysis and intervention.
Free introductory call
Curious what this could mean for your organisation?
In half an hour we'll discuss your situation and which approach fits. No obligations, no sales pitch.
Rather read first? Browse the resources →
Protection
Social safety
Everyone deserves to feel safe from bullying, discrimination, and aggression. Under Dutch law, employers have a clear duty to actively ensure this protection.