The Effect of Psychosocial Safety Climate on Work Engagement Through Possibilities for Development and Cognitive Demands

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the role of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) and its relationship to work-related outcome (i.e., work engagement) via working conditions such as job demands and resources. Specifically, by using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model as a basis of the argument, the research examines how cognitive demands and possibilities for development mediate the relationship between psychosocial safety climate and work engagement. The research predicted that PSC positively increases work engagement via enhancement of positive demands (i.e., cognitive demands) and possibilities for development. The current study utilized a cross-sectional survey approach among 392 employees in one oil and gas organization in Malaysia. To test the research hypotheses, data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM). The study revealed that PSC increased possibilities for development and had no significant relationship with cognitive demands. Furthermore, the results supported the notion that working condition (possibilities for development) mediated the relationship between PSC and work engagement. Overall, these findings suggest that PSC plays a significant role as predictor for working conditions and work outcomes in oil and gas industry. The results may be used to help occupational health and safety practitioners, human resource practitioners and higher management within organizations to understand how PSC influences working conditions and work outcomes.