How play helps restore psychological safety

How play helps restore psychological safety

From HR Leader Podcast Network by Momentum Media

April 15, 2026 · 31 min

About this episode

The episode discusses how incorporating play into the workplace can enhance psychological safety and address fear responses among employees.

Workplaces across the board can, at times, trigger fear responses from workers. Here, we reflect on how incorporating play into not only the processes but also the mindset of the workforce can both bolster and maintain optimal levels of psychological safety for staff. In today's episode of The HR Leader Podcast, host Jerome Doraisamy speaks with Culture Hero founder Dara Simkin about how and why play in the workplace means something entirely different from having a ping-pong table on the floor, why the incorporation of play is so essential in the current climate, how high-stakes workplaces can trigger fear responses, and the consequences of this. Simkin also delves into the compounding effects of stress both inside and outside work, the impact of constantly feeling exhausted, how play can help, the problems to be overcome, how HR can better push for the incorporation of play, how HR can support team leaders in driving change, and the need to remain human in a shifting landscape.

People in this episode

Host: Jerome Doraisamy

Guest: Dara Simkin

Topics covered

  • psychological safety
  • workplace culture
  • play in the workplace
  • stress management
  • HR practices

Keywords

  • psychological safety
  • workplace play
  • HR
  • stress
  • employee wellbeing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Culture Hero

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