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Psychosocial Safety Climate and Occupational Health

What We Know So Far

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Handbook of Socioeconomic Determinants of Occupational Health

Part of the book series: Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences ((HDBSOHS))

Abstract

Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is a facet-specific organizational climate that relates to employee psychological safety and health. Since the proposal of PSC over 10 years ago, PSC has received significant attention from researchers interested in the effect of the meso-level organizational context and its relationship with occupational health and safety. The theory of PSC is an emergent phenomenon which proposes that organizations differ in terms of their prioritization of psychological aspects of individual’s well-being over productivity imperatives. Empirical evidence relating to PSC theory has largely supported the notion that PSC is a lead indicator of workplace psychological health and safety, largely through its influence on the job design and socio-relational aspects of the work environment. To date, more than 62 research outputs, including books, journal articles, book chapters, and industry reports, have been published in relation to PSC theory and its negative relationship with occupational health issues using qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analytic research designs. However despite substantial evidence outlining the preeminent role of PSC as a predictor of psychosocial workplace factors, several questions remain to be answered. This chapter summarizes the propositions of PSC theory and empirical evidence relating to PSC to date. It provides an overview about what is known in the PSC literature and suggests further areas for exploration to expand on our understanding of the influence of meso-level PSC measured at the organizational and group level as a cause of the workplace conditions that affect workplace psychological health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Asia Pacific Centre for Work Health and Safety, Centre for Workplace Excellence, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia

    May Young Loh, Amy Zadow & Maureen Dollard

Authors
  1. May Young Loh
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  2. Amy Zadow
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  3. Maureen Dollard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to May Young Loh .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stress Research Institute, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden

    Töres Theorell

Section Editor information

  1. Institute of Medical Sociology, Centre of Health and Society (CHS), Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Medical Faculty, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Morten Wahrendorf

  2. Fielding School of Public Health, School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA

    Jian Li

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Loh, M.Y., Zadow, A., Dollard, M. (2020). Psychosocial Safety Climate and Occupational Health. In: Theorell, T. (eds) Handbook of Socioeconomic Determinants of Occupational Health. Handbook Series in Occupational Health Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31438-5_17

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