Safety climate and employees' voluntary work behaviours: the moderating role of employees' voice

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined the relationship between safety climate and employees' voluntary work behaviours (i.e. organisational citizenship behaviour and counterproductive work behaviour). It also examined the moderating role of employees' voice on the relationship between safety climate and employees' voluntary work behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the quantitative survey research design, data were collected from 220 respondents from three manufacturing companies in Accra, Ghana. Pearson's correlation test (r) and hierarchical multiple regression were used for data analysis.

Findings

Results showed that safety climate plays a significant role in predicting employees' voluntary work behaviours. Also, employees' voice was found to moderate the relationship between safety climate and organisational citizenship behaviour but does not moderate the relationship between safety climate and counterproductive work behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

Data was collected from manufacturing firms in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana; hence, the findings may be limited to just the manufacturing industry in the Ghanaian setting.

Originality/value

This paper positions safety climate as a catalyst for positive voluntary work behaviours in the workplace and an antidote to negative workplace behaviours. It also highlights the role of employees' voice in enhancing positive voluntary workplace behaviours of employees.

Citation

Amponsah-Tawiah, K., Boateng, A.K. and Tetteh, S.D. (2020), "Safety climate and employees' voluntary work behaviours: the moderating role of employees' voice", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 561-581. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-05-2019-0078