The starting point for this study was the supposition that managers at all levels within an organisation play a key role in promoting the OHS of employees due to moral, regulatory, economic and organisational effectiveness obligations. In order to succeed in this role, managers need organisational support, which is the main focus of this study. The theoretical context of the dissertation consists of reviewing three aspects that influence organisational performance, namely managerial work, OHS performance and OHS management and leadership (see Figure 7), as discussed in Chapter 2.
Figure 7. Theoretical context of the dissertation
Based on the literature reviewed in Chapter 2, there exists a gap in the research that is outlined in Figure 8 and discussed as follows. Much of the literature presented in Chapter 2 emphasises the importance of managers’ commitment and leadership style in improving both the safety culture and OHS performance. However, it is crucial to convert that knowledge into worthwhile frameworks and practical actions intended to improve OHS performance (Biggs & Biggs 2013). Relatively few frameworks exist that are applicable to the development of OHS management in every kind of organisation (ILO
Organisational performance
OHS performance
OHS
management
and leadership
Managerial work
2001; OHSAS 18001:2007). Nevertheless, they are quite general and theoretical in nature, as well as being too difficult to adopt (Matthews & Rowlinson 1999; Nenonen 2012). They do not offer practical guidelines or measures to support managers in OHS management. Thus, there exists a gap between the frameworks that are available and those required to develop OHS management from the managers’ point of view.
Figure 8. The identified research gaps
OHS issues are increasingly associated with the operational efficiency, quality, competitiveness and reputation of an organisation (Fernández-Muñiz et al. 2009; Hasle & Zwetsloot 2011; Köper et al. 2009; Linhard 2005). More attention should be paid to OHS issues when striving to achieve organisational goals, since good OHS performance
Available frameworks are too theoretical and general, and they do not present practical
guidelines to support managers in OHS
Practical frameworks and actions are needed to help organisations develop OHS
management based on empirical research 1. Previous literature
presents the essential elements of OHS management systems for improving OHS
Managing OHS is not sufficiently integrated into management. OHS research has a limited organisational
perspective
Information and examples of OHS management in the organisational context and as a part of
managerial work are needed
2. OHS issues need to be integrated into general management and studied in the organisational context
Research on managers’ OHS work has been limited in perspective, extent and scope
Empirical studies on managers’ OHS work are needed from the
managers’ viewpoint, a broader perspective and in different industries 3. Managers’ active role
and commitment to OHS is crucial for employee OHS and operational effectiveness
Suggested organisational measures to support managers in their OHS work are too general and inadequate
Information on
organisational measures is needed to support managers’ in their OHS work
4. Managers need organisational support in managing OHS as part of managerial work
The importance of effective OHS leadership to the success of OHS development is not fully understood and related studies have been limited in terms of their profundity
Information on effective OHS leadership facets is needed to develop OHS management
5. OHS leadership is an important determinant of OHS performance
supports organisational performance (Fernández-Muñiz et al. 2009; Veltri et al. 2013; Wu et al. 2008). Nevertheless, the OHS perspective is overlooked in most management studies (Veltri et al. 2013; Zanko & Dawson 2012). At the same time, the OHS research rarely studies OHS management in the wider organisational context (Veltri et al. 2013). In OHS studies, the organisational context needs to be acknowledged, while OHS issues need to be considered as one organisational outcome that needs to be managed (EU- OSHA 2010; EU-OSHA 2012b; Veltri et al. 2013). This dissertation discusses the management of OHS in the organisational context in various organisations in Finland. Although the importance of the managers’ active role and commitment to OHS is almost universally recognised (e.g. Fernández-Muñiz et al. 2007; Hale et al. 2010; Shannon et al. 1999), prior studies concerning managers’ OHS work have been limited in terms of their perspective, extent and scope. Top management commitment and its visible demonstration are often emphasised (Clarke 1999; HSE 1999; Schein 2010), while the lower-level managers’ consistent commitment receives less attention. Only a few studies have investigated managers’ perceptions of managing OHS (e.g. Biggs et al. 2013; Conchie et al. 2014; EU-OSHA 2010b; Fruhen et al. 2014a; Larsson 2015; O’Dea & Flin 2001) and even they present only limited perspectives and scope in relation to OHS. Moreover, previous studies have called for organisational support for managers in relation to OHS (Conchie et al. 2013; Frick 2013; Hale et al. 2010; Larsson 2015), although they rarely present organisational measures to provide such support. Support is especially called for in relation to managers’ commitment and the training necessary to manage psychosocial risks effectively (EU-OSHA 2014). In order to be able to identify the organisational support that managers’ require, difficult situations related to the management of OHS, as well as the factors that hinder or promote managers’ commitment to OHS, must be clarified from the managers’ perspective. Thus, there exists a need for a thorough investigation of the challenges managers confront and the organisational support they need when managing OHS as a part of their other managerial responsibilities.
Managerial authority is seldom a sufficient basis for fostering subordinates’ commitment to OHS, since success as a manager also involves leadership (Yukl 2010) and an understanding of the human factors (Teperi & Leppänen 2011) that can improve OHS. OHS-specific leadership is generally seen to be positively associated with employees’ OHS compliance and participation, two common forms of employees’ OHS performance- related behaviour (Clarke 2013; Griffin & Neal 2000; Hoffmeister et al. 2014; Kapp 2012; Mullen et al. 2017). According to Mullen et al.’s (2017) cross-sectional and longitudinal study, when employers are perceived to have fulfilled their OHS obligations, employees tend to reciprocate with positive OHS performance behaviours, and these relationships are stronger when the OHS-specific leadership is high. Thus, managers’ leadership
behaviour and skills should be supported in order to generate positive effects on OHS performance (Hoffmeister et al. 2014; Zohar 2002b).
Previous research suggests that both transactional and transformational leadership are important determinants of OHS performance (Barling et al. 2002; Clarke 2013; Griffin and Hu 2013; Hoffmeister et al. 2014; Kapp 2012; Mullen et al. 2017). Nevertheless, the leadership studies related to OHS have been limited in terms of their theoretical nature and scope. The specific leadership facets that influence OHS performance are rarely considered within OHS leadership studies (Conchie et al. 2013; Griffin & Hu 2013; Hoffmeister et al. 2014). Information regarding effective leadership approaches is needed in order to develop OHS management and integrate OHS management development into the general management development within organisations. Moreover, it is needed in order to emphasise the right issues when managing OHS, since management resources are of course limited.
Previous studies concerning OHS management have often covered only certain industrial sectors, for example, the construction industry (Biggs et al. 2013; Conchie et al. 2013), air traffic management (Fruhen at el. 2014a), the offshore oil and gas industry (O’Dea & Flin 2001) or municipal organisations (Larsson 2015). Most of these studies have focused on OHS management in non-Finnish organisations, except for Simola (2005), who studied OHS management interventions in a Finnish steel company. At the same time, many Finnish industrial organisations currently place a strong emphasis on managers’ OHS work in order to advance to the next level of OHS performance (Tappura et al. 2015b). As only a few studies have been carried in this field in Finland, deeper insight into the topic is needed, particularly from the managers’ viewpoint and within Finnish organisations. Furthermore, information regarding organisational measures is needed to support the management of OHS and the continuous improvement of OHS in other countries, as well as to further decrease the rate of occupational injuries and ill health.