Management of psychosocial risks in European workplaces: Drivers and barriers in a national and cultural context

Management of psychosocial risks in European workplaces: Drivers and barriers in a national and cultural context

van den Heuvel, S.
Bakhuys Roozeboom, M.M.C.
Eekhout, I.
Houtman, I.L.D.

2017

Management of psychosocial risks in European workplaces; drivers and barriers in a national and cultural context. General objective of the project commissioned by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is to support policy makers in stimulating successful psychosocial risk (PSR) management. Since the national and cultural context may influence the effectiveness of drivers and barriers of PSR management, the following research questions will be answered: (1) What are determinants (drivers and barriers) of PSR management? (2) What is the influence of national culture on PSR management? (3) Does cultural context influence the drivers and barriers of PSR management and (4) do these drivers and barriers have the same impact in a different cultural context? Multilevel analyses were performed to answer these questions. Data were used from the second edition of a Europe-wide survey among enterprises, the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2, EU-OSHA), carried out in 2014. The dataset was supplemented with data on GDP per capita, data on national initiatives regarding occupational safety and health or PSR, and data on three cultural dimensions considered of potential relevance for PSR management (Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance and Masculinity) based on Hofstede (2010). All analyses were adjusted for country, size, sector and respondent type. Results from the analyses were discussed in a focus group meeting of international experts from different cultural backgrounds to assist the interpretation of the results. In line with previous research (EU-OSHA, 2012), results show several drivers and barriers at the organisational level to be associated with PSR management, defined as the amount of measures in place to deal with psychosocial risks. Strongest driver was management commitment, and strongest barriers were lack of awareness among management and lack of expertise. On the cultural dimensions ‘Power Distance’, ‘Masculinity’ and ‘Uncertainty Avoidance’, a high score was associated with less PSR management. Other factors of the national context (a high GDP per capita and national OSH and PSR initiatives) were also associated with PSR management. When adjusted for these factors, none of the culture characteristics remain significantly associated with PSR management. Most drivers and barriers were not or only weakly related to cultural factors. Differences in impact of barriers and drivers in a different cultural context were found, but they were only marginal. Conclusion of the analyses and the discussion in the focus group was that national cultural factors significantly contributed to the extent psychosocial risk management in enterprises took place. However, despite the fact that we should acknowledge the cultural values of a country, it is more practical to aim at specific drivers and barriers that play an important role and are easier to address.

Life
WHC - Work, Health and Care
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
Healthy for Life
Workplace
Healthy Living
Psychosocial
Management
Dirvers
Barriers

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ba5157bc-d2b4-4f07-b2fa-2b9ee19338d1

781715

TNO

Sixth ICOH-WOPS Congress, for Dignified and Psychosocially Healthy Work, August 29 to September 1, Mexico City

Met de bijbehorende abstract in de pdf bijgevoegd.

public lecture