Foundational Effects of Organizational Climate on Perceived Safety Climate: A Multiple Mediation Model

Yuzhong Shen, Yadi Li, Chuanjing Ju, Hassan Ashraf (), Zhen Hu, Changquan He and Shoeb Ahmed Memon
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Yuzhong Shen: College of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 201418, China
Yadi Li: School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Chuanjing Ju: School of Economics and Management, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Hassan Ashraf: Civil Engineering Department, COMSATS University Islamabad, Wah Campus, Wah Cantt 47040, Pakistan
Zhen Hu: College of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 201418, China
Changquan He: College of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 201418, China
Shoeb Ahmed Memon: Department of Real Estate and Construction, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-15

Abstract: Organizational climate is the ascribed psychological meaning and significance associated with the procedures, policies, and practices that are recognized and rewarded in the workplace and, hence, mediate the effects of environmental stimuli on individuals’ responses. Safety climate is a specific organizational climate, i.e., organizational climate for safety. Previous research claimed that organizational climate provides a foundation for safety climate, but without elaboration on the foundational mechanisms. This paper attempts to fill this knowledge gap. As organizational climate is a multi-dimensional phenomenon, this paper chooses two dimensions: perceived organizational support (POS) and participative decision making (PaDM). Drawing on an interactive approach to forming climate perceptions, this paper introduces two interactive constructs—leader–member exchange (LMX) and team-member exchange (TMX)—and establishes a multiple mediation model depicting the foundational effect of organizational climate on safety climate. A random sample of 292 Hong Kong-based construction personnel is used to validate the model. The results show that both POS and PaDM are positively associated with perceived safety climate ( β 1 = 0.175, p < 0.01; β 2 = 0.502, p < 0.005), both LMX and TMX fully mediate the effect of PaDM on safety climate (effect sizes are 0.146 and 0.076, respectively), and only LMX partially mediates the effect of POS on safety climate (effect size is 0.131). This study sheds light on the foundational effects of organizational climate on safety climate. POS can improve the quality of reciprocal exchange about safety matters between construction personnel and their supervisors and hence raise construction personnel’s awareness of the priority of safety. PaDM can improve the quality of reciprocal exchange about safety matters vertically and horizontally and hence have construction personnel aware of the importance of safety. In practice, this paper suggests that project managers recognize and reward construction personnel’s contributions in a timely manner, genuinely care about their well-being, and take their suggestions seriously in making decisions. In this way, the quality of both vertical and horizontal exchange about safety matters improves, and a sound and positive safety climate ensues.

Keywords: organizational climate; safety climate; multiple mediation; construction personnel; random sample (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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