Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
First Advisor
Pamela Larde, PhD
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study explored how psychological safety is experienced and sustained in warehouse environments, particularly through leadership practices. The research focused on five central questions regarding how psychological safety is defined, the barriers to sustaining it, and the specific leadership behaviors that influence employee voice and workplace culture. Seven participants from warehousing operations across the southeastern United States were selected through purposive sampling. These individuals held leadership positions and had firsthand experience with efforts to promote psychological safety. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed thematically using Colaizzi’s method. The study found that psychological safety in warehouse settings is fragile and highly dependent on consistent leadership follow-through, peer influence, and organizational alignment. Five major themes emerged: (a) trust and consistency as a foundation, (b) organizational misalignment as a barrier, (c) leadership behavior as a driver of employee voice, (d) employee responses shaped by past experiences, and (e) the fragile nature of safety gains. The study concluded that psychological safety must be approached as a dynamic, behavior-based process requiring ongoing reinforcement at both leadership and system levels. Findings have implications for leadership development, onboarding practices, and structural alignment in operational environments.
Recommended Citation
Manigault, Francis V., "EXPLORING LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE LENSES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY: EXPERIENCES FROM THE WAREHOUSING INDUSTRY" (2025). Dissertations. 43.
https://digitalcommons.andersonuniversity.edu/dissertations/43