Psychological safety and social integration in a start-up context

This chapter applies the concept of psychological safety to a study of new employees’ entry in start-ups. This is a context where innovation is important, and both newcomers and the emerging organisations undergo learning processes. Psychological safety is defined as a group phenomenon, with consequences for interpersonal encounters, and the unique empirical context of the study facilitates an enquiry into perceptions of how psychologically safe environments are built in new organisations where groups are forming. Through interviews with managers and newcomers in five Danish start-ups, and a thematic and discourse analysis, a “social” repertoire with two interrelated nuances labelled “functional social” and “pure social” was found, focusing on functional social aspects and collegial bonding, respectively. The discussion highlights interfaces of these two nuances, as well as theoretical and practical implications, with a view to social integration and social sustainability.