Formative research for a social marketing safety campaign at a biomedical research facility
ISSN: 2042-6763
Article publication date: 28 June 2023
Issue publication date: 10 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to consider the potential use of social marketing to enhance safety compliance in a biomedical research laboratory.
Design/methodology/approach
This project used focus group discussions (n = 32) and semi-structured interviews (n = 10) to gather information on occupational health and safety professionals’ perceptions of safety culture, knowledge of barriers and facilitators of safety at the worksite and insights on how to effectively communicate safety information to employees through a campaign effort.
Findings
Results outlined the barriers (e.g. structural obstacles, lack of awareness of policies, perception of occupational safety and health professionals as safety police) and facilitators (e.g. rapport building, partnering with formal leadership and demonstrating the value of services) of safety and safety communication.
Originality/value
Results from this work add to theoretical and practical knowledge regarding how risk may be effectively addressed by using social marketing and health behavior theories to promote voluntary adherence to existing rules and recommendations.
Keywords
Citation
Lagoe, C.A., Newcomer, D. and Fico, A. (2023), "Formative research for a social marketing safety campaign at a biomedical research facility", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 510-527. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-11-2022-0230
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited