1. Organisational culture, climate & stress Emma Wadsworth

2. What is organisational culture? Shared beliefs, attitudes, values, and norms of behaviour the way things are done around here, and the way things are understood, judged, and valued Safety culture describes: Shared attitudes, values and beliefs in relation to safety within an organisation

3. Why is safety culture important? Poor safety culture has been associated with: Industrial disasters (Chernobyl, Columbia, Clapham Junction) Workplace accidents & injuries

4. How is safety culture measured? Most often measured using an employee climate survey to give a snapshot of current safety culture Safety climate is a current-state reflection of underlying safety culture

5. What does a climate survey measure? Employee perceptions of: Organisational commitment to safety Line management commitment to safety Supervisors role Personal role Workmates influence Competence Risk taking behaviour Obstacles to safety Reporting accidents General job satisfaction From: HSE Climate Survey Tool

6. Findings from a recent study: Safety performance Safety culture H&S advice Funded by:

7. Participants Two groups of workers completed safety climate questionnaires: 1752 from 33 UK firms 475 as part of a general workers sample

8. How much stress? Described their job as very or extremely stressful: Firms sample – 15% Range – 0% to 31% General sample – 18% Overall – 16%

9. Safety culture and stress Work stress is linked to: Safety culture overall Specific aspects of culture including: Management approach to safety Individual (own & others) behaviour Job satisfaction Factors also linked to sickness absence

10. Safety culture & stress

11. Conclusions Work stress is linked to organisational culture or perceptions of the way we do things round here Work stress is also linked to other factors e.g. job demand Perceptions vary at an individual level within organisations or sections

12. Implications Improvements in one area may have significant knock-on effects Culture Risk taking Line management Job satisfaction SupportControlDemand