Creating and fostering a safe environment

Fostering a safe and empowering work environment for developers is crucial for few reasons:

· Encourages experimentation: When developers feel safe and empowered to take risks and experiment, they are more likely to try out new ideas and explore uncharted territory. This can lead to breakthroughs and innovation that might not have been possible in a more risk-averse environment.

· Increases productivity: When developers feel that they have the freedom to experiment and try out new approaches without fear of retribution, they are more likely to take ownership of their work and feel motivated to achieve their goals. This can lead to increased productivity and better outcomes for the organization.

· Retains top talent: Developers who feel safe and empowered are more likely to be engaged and satisfied with their work. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and lower turnover rates, which can help organizations retain top talent.

Here are several steps that engineering leaders can take to build and foster a safe environment:

· Encourage a culture of openness: Create an environment where developers feel comfortable sharing their ideas and collaborating with one another. This can be achieved by encouraging open communication and actively soliciting feedback from developers.

· Foster a learning culture: Emphasize the importance of continuous learning and development. Encourage developers to take courses, attend conferences to enhance their skills and knowledge.

· Provide autonomy: Give developers the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. This empowers them to take risks and experiment with new ideas.

To measure the success of creating a safe environment there are several metrics that can be used:

· Productivity metrics (provided by Uplevel): Measuring productivity levels, such as number and severity of service incidents, PR cycle time, or number and frequency of releases.

· Value delivered metrics (provided by Uplevel): Metrics such as the ratio between time spent on new product features vs KTLO or patents filed.

· Employee turnover rate: A low employee turnover rate can indicate that employees feel valued and supported in their work environment.

· Employee engagement surveys: Conducting regular employee engagement surveys can help identify how satisfied employees are with their work environment, including whether they feel supported and empowered to take risks and experiment.

By monitoring these metrics, an engineering leader can gain insight into the success of creating a safe environment and by tracking these metrics over time, they can also identify areas for improvement and adjust their approach accordingly.