Workplace Wellbeing Expert: “Psychological Safety Requires Discomfort"

What does psychological safety really look like at work, and how does recognition help create it? In this episode of A-Listed by Achievers, workplace wellbeing expert Tegan Davies from Be Well Co. joins David Bator and Emma Harvie to explore why psychological safety is not just about having a “nice” workplace culture. It requires trust, discomfort, honest conversations, and the confidence to speak up, try new things, and learn from failure. Tegan explains how employee recognition acts as relational capital, helping teams build the trust needed to navigate feedback, conflict, change, uncertainty, and AI transformation. This conversation breaks down why recognition, wellbeing, mental health, and psychological safety are essential to building healthier, higher-performing workplaces. In this episode, you’ll learn: How recognition supports psychological safety Why psychological safety requires discomfort How leaders can create safer spaces for honest conversations Why recognition is a protective factor for wellbeing and mental health How psychological safety enables innovation and AI adoption Why small leadership habits can help employees feel seen, safe, and valued Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Psychological safety in real life 02:19 Recognition as a safety signal 02:40 Meet Tegan Davies from Be Well Co. 03:37 Feeling seen, valued, and appreciated at work 06:04 How recognition supports psychological safety 06:24 Recognition as relational capital 09:04 Why psychological safety is a leadership behavior 11:21 Making space for honest check-ins 13:49 Workplace pressure and transactional relationships 16:34 Psychological safety during AI transformation 19:08 Wellbeing, mental health, and psychosocial risk 24:47 Why workplace wellbeing is everyone’s responsibility 25:53 Behaviors that build safer workplaces 29:20 Meaningful recognition and employee wellbeing 33:33 Why recognition needs to happen regularly 36:47 Small leadership habits that create big change 38:49 Closing thoughts with Tegan Davies 39:47 Key takeaways from David and Emma Watch the full episode to hear Tegan Davies share practical, human advice for building safer, healthier, and higher-performing workplaces through recognition, wellbeing, and psychological safety. Featuring: Tegan Davies, Be Well Co. Hosted by: David Bator and Emma Harvie, Achievers Podcast: A-Listed by Achievers #PsychologicalSafety #EmployeeRecognition #WorkplaceWellbeing #EmployeeExperience #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #MentalHealthAtWork #FutureOfWork #AITransformation #Achievers #AListed