How to build a ‘safe-to-fail’ culture for IT teams — and why you should

Companies continue to invest in AI, automation, developer tools, and other new technologies. But they may not get the results they expect if IT workers don’t have the time, resources, or freedom to learn how to use them. IT workers may be afraid to try new tools if they think a failed experiment could hurt their performance reviews. They may also be unsure which tools and data they can use or how to test new technology without creating security problems or disrupting the business. A safe-to-fail culture can help remove those barriers. It gives IT workers room to try new ideas while limiting the risks to the company. Although employees still have to follow rules, they’re given the time, approved tools, and secure environments they need to test new ideas. Even if the company decides not to adopt a new technology, it can still learn from the experience. “To me, a safe-to-fail culture is not a safe-to-be-careless culture,” said Michael Morris, global head of platform and talent at Randstad Digital. “It means designing experiments so that a failure is contained, reversible, and useful.” 1. Make experimentation part of the job “Fear of failure is a major barrier, especially when people …

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