Strategies for psychosocial risk management in manufacturing

Abstract

Psychosocial risk is a concern for employers across Europe. Psychosocial risk management, however, is younger than other risk management fields such as safety, hygiene, and ergonomics. Psychosocial risk control prevents accidents and absenteeism. This study examines strategies for psychosocial risk management in manufacturing organizations. The study employs structural equation modeling to analyze results of the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER), a survey that fills an information gap concerning health and safety at work. The analysis yields three latent variables: psychosocial safety management, health and safety activities, and psychosocial performance. The study shows the benefits of adopting psychosocial safety management systems to improve psychosocial risk performance. Psychosocial preventive activities mediate the relationship between psychosocial safety management and psychosocial performance. Effective psychosocial risk management's benefits are so great that policymakers should specifically promote psychosocial risk management. Promoting psychosocial management systems and psychosocial preventive activities is likely to effectively improve overall psychosocial performance in European countries.