Social safety

In theory

The concept of social safety usually refers to the degree to which people are (and perceive themselves as being) protected against personal suffering caused by others. It is often connected to an absence of unwanted behavior. Taking all these elements together, Heres et al. (2023) define social safety as: “people’s perception that in the interpersonal relations within a particular group or organization (1) one is free to be oneself, speak up about and report any (potential) problems or injustices, (2) while also being protected against suffering caused by any misconduct of other people.”

In practice

The concept of social safety is related to and overlaps with the concept of psychological safety. Social safety is primarily focused on the degree of societal and structural support through policies and programs, while psychological safety pertains to the interpersonal dynamics within a specific context, such as a workplace or a social group.