Flensburg universities award prizes for studies on psychological safety!

Flensburg universities award prizes for studies on psychological safety!

On June 13, 2025, the Dr. Hans Adolf Rossen Prize will be awarded for the 16th time by the Flensburg Press Foundation. This prestigious award honors outstanding scientific work by students at Flensburg universities, particularly in the areas of business and technology. This year, seven dissertations as well as master's and bachelor's theses from 2024 were selected that are characterized by high grades and relevance to business practice. An additional special prize from the IHK Flensburg honors two innovative projects that are located at the interface between education and business, reports University of Flensburg.

The award ceremony will take place at the Flensburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. One of the award winners is Janna Böttcher, who was honored for her bachelor's thesis in international management. This work examines psychological safety in teams in public administration institutions and is based on a survey of 191 employees of a public administration in Schleswig-Holstein. The results show that a psychologically safe working environment significantly improves the well-being of employees.

Psychological safety research

Another significant prize went to Malin Horst for her master's thesis, which deals with the factors that create psychological safety. Her research included both qualitative and quantitative studies at AccountOne. Important aspects highlighted in the work include autonomy, social support and a participative leadership culture.

Steffen Karstens was honored for his study of the effects of digitalization on cutting machine operators and vocational teaching. Dr. Maike Simon received the prize for the best dissertation dealing with “subsidiary initiatives” in multinational companies. These achievements clearly show how important innovation and scientific excellence are for commercial practice.

The concept of psychological safety

Psychological safety is a crucial factor for successful teamwork, innovation and change processes. It is described as a work environment in which employees can openly express their opinions and concerns without fear of negative consequences. Your understanding promotes resilience through open communication and mutual support, explains resilience-meaning.ch. Teams that work in a safe environment perform better and are more creative, which is especially valuable in times of change.

Psychologist Amy Edmondson coined the term psychological safety in the late 1990s as a climate in which interpersonal risks can be taken without fear of negative consequences. In a safe environment, employees have the freedom to view mistakes as learning opportunities and share their ideas openly, explains zukunftszentrum-ki.nrw.

Implementing such a culture requires commitment from leaders who can, by example, encourage behavior that builds trust and empowerment within teams. Practical strategies such as regular team reflections and creating clear team rules are necessary to ensure a healthy, innovative and more resilient work environment.