Psychological safety in software workplaces: A systematic literature review

TL;DR

This systematic review explores psychological safety in software engineering, highlighting its importance for team performance and identifying key antecedents and gaps in current research.

Contribution

It synthesizes existing knowledge on PS in software engineering, emphasizing the need for further research on contextual factors and practical applications.

Findings

PS is linked to innovation and team learning

Antecedents include team autonomy and leadership behaviors

Research is mainly based on Edmondson's framework

Abstract

Context: Psychological safety (PS) is an important factor influencing team well-being and performance, particularly in collaborative and dynamic domains such as software development. Despite its acknowledged significance, research on PS within the field of software engineering remains limited. The socio-technical complexities and fast-paced nature of software development present challenges to cultivating PS. To the best of our knowledge, no systematic secondary study has synthesized existing knowledge on PS in the context of software engineering. Objective: This study aims to systematically review and synthesize the existing body of knowledge on PS in software engineering. Specifically, it seeks to identify the potential antecedents and consequences associated with the presence or absence of PS among individuals involved in the software development process. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted, encompassing studies retrieved from four digital libraries. The extracted data were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results: The findings indicate a growing academic interest in PS within software engineering, with the majority of studies grounded in Edmondson's framework. Factors antecedents of PS were identified at the individual, team, and organizational levels, including team autonomy, agile methodologies, and leadership behaviors. Conclusion: PS fosters innovation, learning, and team performance within software development. However, significant gaps persist in understanding the contextual factors influencing PS, its underlying mechanisms, and effective strategies for its enhancement. Future research should address these gaps by investigating the practical applications of PS within diverse organizational settings in the software engineering domain.