Multiple mediating effects in the relationship between employees’ trust in organizational safety and safety participation behavior

Abstract

This study defines the concept of employees’ trust in organizational safety and divides it into three dimensions. A structural equation model is proposed to examine the impact of trust in organizational safety on employees’ safety participation behavior. Data are collected over a three-month period from 716 frontline employees belonging to 11 Chinese enterprises. Results show that trust in an organization’s safety equipment can predict safety participation behavior. Psychological safety and sense of belonging, as well as the multiple mediators composed of these two variables, can mediate the relationship between trust in organizational safety and safety participation behavior. Trust in the organization’s safety institutions has no direct and significant effect on safety participation behavior. The study findings provide a new perspective for strengthening trust in organizational safety and improving safety behavior. In addition, the findings provide significant implications for theory and practice in this field.