Workplace Trauma Month 2025: Why speak-up policies often fail — and what trust should look like

When companies roll out speak-up policies, but employees stay silent, the issue often runs deeper than culture or leadership. It runs into the human brain.

Take ASML (www.asml.com). In 2023, despite its strong “Speak Up” policy and public stance on inclusion, internal complaints about gender discrimination went unanswered and surfaced in the press. Female employees reported retaliation, stalled promotions, and a system that didn’t listen. So, they turned to their union instead.

This wasn’t just a policy failure. It was a psychological one that leads to workplace trauma.

As a behavioural psychologist, I’ve seen this before: well-meaning policies collapse without a real understanding of trust and safety. ASML’s story is a case study of how and why that happens.

The psychology of speaking up (or staying silent)

Speaking up at work isn’t just about having a policy. It’s about how the brain handles risk.

Behavioural psychology shows us that whether someone voices a concern depends on three key things:

1. Psychological safety vs. perceived risk

Our brains are wired to scan for social threats. When someone considers raising a concern, the limbic system — our emotional brain — lights up and asks:

• What happened last time someone spoke up?

• Were there consequences?

• Who’s in the room right now?

Even with solid policies in place, people may stay quiet. Their brains have learned that the social risk outweighs the benefit. In simple terms: if the brain senses threat, silence wins.

2. The trust-action loop

Trust in the workplace follows what psychologists call a "behavioural reinforcement cycle." Here's how it works:

This cycle perfectly illustrates what happened at ASML. Female employees raised concerns for months. But when there was no meaningful response, trust eroded. By the time the story hit the media, many had already walked away from internal reporting channels.

This isn’t just disappointment; it’s a learned response. And it’s predictable.

3. The hidden costs of empty promises

When organizations promote speak-up cultures without follow-through, they trigger what psychologists call “learned helplessness”, which is the belief that nothing you do will make a difference. The cost is high:

• Drop in motivation and engagement

• Stress goes up

• Innovation and problem-solving shrink

• Turnover risk rises

How trust Builds: A science-based approach

The good news? Trust is teachable. But it needs more than good intentions.

Here's what the research tells us works:

1. Quick wins matter most

The first 90 days after an employee speaks up are crucial. Our brains are particularly attentive to early experiences. Leaders should:

• Acknowledge concerns within 24-48 hours

• Share clear next steps within a week

• Show visible progress within a month

  
  

2. Transparency in action

The brain craves clarity and predictability. Even if solutions are imperfect, explain:

• What’s being done

• Why some changes aren’t possible

• What the timeline looks like

  
  

3. The power of social proof

We're deeply influenced by what we observe in others. Organizations should:

• Celebrate (with permission) examples of successful speak-up situations

• Share anonymized stories of how feedback led to change

• Make leaders' responses to concerns visible when appropriate

Making it work: practical steps

If organizations want people to speak up, they need more than good intentions. They need systems and habits that make trust real.

For leaders:

• Run regular check-ins to ask what’s working and what isn’t

• Track issues raised and update teams on progress

• Be human: share your own mistakes and uncertainties

• Show appreciation when people raise uncomfortable truths

  
  

For organizations:

• Track response times and follow through on feedback

• Make “speak-up effectiveness” part of how leaders are evaluated

• Train managers in active listening and conflict sensitivity

• Offer multiple feedback channels: anonymous, direct, digital, in-person

The Bottom Line

Policies don’t build speak-up cultures. Behaviour does. Trust builds slowly, one consistent, honest interaction at a time. So, when organizations understand the psychology of safety, they can create environments where speaking up feels not just allowed, but natural.

Safety builds trust. Trust builds everything else.