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An exploration of workplace social capital as an antecedent of occupational safety and health climate and outcomes in the Chinese education sector

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Abstract

Purpose

It is widely acknowledged that teachers are at greater risk of work-related health problems. At the same time, employee perceptions of different dimensions of organizational climate can influence their attitudes, performance, and well-being at work. This study applied and extended a safety climate model in the context of the education sector in Hong Kong. Apart from safety considerations alone, the study included occupational health considerations and social capital and tested their relationships with occupational safety and health (OSH) outcomes.

Methods

Seven hundred and four Hong Kong teachers completed a range of questionnaires exploring social capital, OSH climate, OSH knowledge, OSH performance (compliance and participation), general health, and self-rated health complaints and injuries. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationships between predictive and outcome variables.

Results

SEM analysis revealed a high level of goodness of fit, and the hypothesized model including social capital yielded a better fit than the original model. Social capital, OSH climate, and OSH performance were determinants of both positive and negative outcome variables. In addition, social capital not only significantly predicted general health directly, but also had a predictive effect on the OSH climate–behavior–outcome relationship.

Conclusions

This study makes a contribution to the workplace social capital and OSH climate literature by empirically assessing their relationship in the Chinese education sector.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Work, Health and Organisations, University of Nottingham, Yang Fujia Building, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG8 1BB, UK

    Jessica Janice Tang, Stavroula Leka & Nigel Hunt

  2. Academic Urology Unit, University of Aberdeen, Health Sciences Building (2nd Floor), Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK

    Sara MacLennan

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  1. Jessica Janice Tang
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  2. Stavroula Leka
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  3. Nigel Hunt
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  4. Sara MacLennan
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Correspondence to Stavroula Leka.

Appendix: Glossary of terms used in the article

Appendix: Glossary of terms used in the article

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Tang, J.J., Leka, S., Hunt, N. et al. An exploration of workplace social capital as an antecedent of occupational safety and health climate and outcomes in the Chinese education sector. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 87, 515–526 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-013-0890-9

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