The role of managerial leadership in determining workplace safety outcomes

The aim of this report is to review the theoretical and empirical literature that examines the role of managerial leadership in determining organisational safety outcomes. Three different levels of management, with special responsibilities for safety are identified, senior (or corporate) level managers, middle level managers (including site managers), and supervisors (also known as front line managers or team leaders). Distinctions between the levels are clarified, the unique contribution of each level to organisational safety outcomes is explored and paths of influence between them are examined. An attempt will be made to construct a holistic model of how the leadership factors at each level interact to influence health and safety outcomes. The review is conducted in eight sections This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The aim of this report is to review the theoretical and empirical literature that examines the role of managerial leadership in determining organisational safety outcomes. Three different levels of management, with special responsibilities for safety are identified, senior (or corporate) level managers, middle level managers (including site managers), and supervisors (also known as front line managers or team leaders). Distinctions between the levels are clarified, the unique contribution of each level to organisational safety outcomes is explored and paths of influence between them are examined. An attempt will be made to construct a holistic model of how the leadership factors at each level interact to influence health and safety outcomes. The review is conducted in eight sections. In section one the field of research is introduced. The importance of leadership factors in tackling organisational safety is explicated. In section two corporate governance of safety is introduced. The UK regulator's role in regulating, enforcing and motivating organisations to enhance their governance of safety is explored. A number of studies are reviewed which directly assess and evaluate the current state of directors' thinking about health and safety. In addition, the role of the trust relationship between senior managers and employees and its relevance to safety outcomes is explored. In …