Zadow, Amy J; Dollard, Maureen F; Loh, May Y; Tuckey, Michelle R; and Idris, Awang M.

Psychosocial Safety Climate refers to employee perceptions concerning the organization’s infrastructure and system of operation to protect worker psychological health and safety (Dollard & Bailey, 2021). Despite growing evidence that if PSC is low all kinds of job design psychosocial risks may be experienced, organisational approaches to psychosocial risk management typically focus on job redesign rather than evaluating the system of protection (Dollard et al., 2019). This study aimed to use a novel multilevel meta-analytical approach to assess the Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) Extended Job Demands-Resources model (Zadow & Dollard, 2016). Data were derived across 16 countries/regions, industries and occupational groups from 80 studies, with 56 independent samples and 844 effect sizes (N = 348, 471 individuals; 1420 groups). Cross-level effects were consistent with PSC Extended JD-R theory: significant effects were found between work group PSC and individual employee reports of job resources, job demands, motivation and poor psychological health. Individual level effects were also consistent with the theory. Higher effect sizes at the organization/group level may indicate an emergent PSC effect. Longitudinal effects were significant and slightly lower or similar to cross-sectional effects in both individual and cross-level designs. PSC moderated the relationship between job demands and poor psychological health but not between resources and motivation. The goal of this work is to shift thinking in employment related legislation, social policy and practice towards root cause targets such as the PSC, rather than the current orthodoxy which focuses on intermediary risks and lag outcomes, to protect employee psychological health.

At the conclusion of this event, attendees will be able to:

Explain the Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) Extended Job Demands-Resources theoretical framework and how it may be applied in practice for psychosocial risk management in organisations.

Understand the multilevel meta-analytic relationships between PSC and job demands, job resources, work motivation and psychological health identifying where workplace psychosocial interventions might be most impactful.

Critically evaluate meta-analytic results for multilevel workplace psychosocial stress management interventions explaining potential limitations and areas for future attention.