Safety and Health at Work Vol. 10 Issue 2 2019
Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus (Original Article)
Dublin Core
Title
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 10 Issue 2 2019
Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus (Original Article)
Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus (Original Article)
Subject
Injury, Leadership, Safety compliance, Safety initiative, Workplace safety
Description
Background: There is considerable evidence that leadership influences workplace safety, but less is
known about the relative importance of different leadership styles for safety. In addition, a leadership
style characterized by an emphasis and a focus on promoting safety has rarely been investigated
alongside other more general leadership styles.
Methods: Data were collected through a survey to which 269 employees in a paper mill company
responded. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the relative roles of transformational,
transactional (management-by-exception active; MBEA), and safety-specific leadership for different
safety behavioral outcomes (compliance behavior and safety initiative behaviors) and for minor and
major injuries.
Results: A safety-specific leadership contributed the most to the enhanced safety of the three different kinds of leadership. Transformational leadership did not contribute to any safety outcome over and above that of a safety-specific leadership, whereas a transactional leadership (MBEA) was associated with negative safety outcomes (fewer safety initiatives and increased minor injuries).
Conclusion: The most important thing for leaders aiming at improving workplace safety is to continu-
ously emphasize safety, both in their communication and by acting as role models. This highlights the importance for leadership training programs aiming to improve safety to actually focus on safety-promoting communication and behaviors rather than general leadership. Furthermore, an overly monitoring and controlling leadership style can be detrimental to attempts at achieving improved workplace safety.
known about the relative importance of different leadership styles for safety. In addition, a leadership
style characterized by an emphasis and a focus on promoting safety has rarely been investigated
alongside other more general leadership styles.
Methods: Data were collected through a survey to which 269 employees in a paper mill company
responded. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the relative roles of transformational,
transactional (management-by-exception active; MBEA), and safety-specific leadership for different
safety behavioral outcomes (compliance behavior and safety initiative behaviors) and for minor and
major injuries.
Results: A safety-specific leadership contributed the most to the enhanced safety of the three different kinds of leadership. Transformational leadership did not contribute to any safety outcome over and above that of a safety-specific leadership, whereas a transactional leadership (MBEA) was associated with negative safety outcomes (fewer safety initiatives and increased minor injuries).
Conclusion: The most important thing for leaders aiming at improving workplace safety is to continu-
ously emphasize safety, both in their communication and by acting as role models. This highlights the importance for leadership training programs aiming to improve safety to actually focus on safety-promoting communication and behaviors rather than general leadership. Furthermore, an overly monitoring and controlling leadership style can be detrimental to attempts at achieving improved workplace safety.
Creator
Malin Mattson Molnar, Ulrica Von Thiele Schwarz, Johnny Hellgren, Henna Hasson, Susanne Tafvelin
Publisher
Elsevier Korea LLC
Date
June 2019
Contributor
Sri Wahyuni
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Text
Coverage
Safety and Health at Work Vol. 10 Issue 2 2019
Files
Citation
Malin Mattson Molnar, Ulrica Von Thiele Schwarz, Johnny Hellgren, Henna Hasson, Susanne Tafvelin , “Safety and Health at Work Vol. 10 Issue 2 2019
Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus (Original Article),” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed November 21, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/1921.
Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus (Original Article),” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed November 21, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/1921.