یک محیط کار ایمن و آگاهانه به سازمان هایی با اعتبار بالا امکان می دهد تا نسبت به ایمنی سازمان فعال بوده و کارکنان را قادر می سازد تا به راحتی و بدون ترس از انتقامجویی هر نگرانی را گزارش دهند. اخیرا تحقیقات کمی در مورد محیط کاری ایمن آگاهانه انجام شده است. روش: مدلسازی معادلات ساختاری برای آزمون نقش میانجی رضایتمندی ارتباطی کارکنان در رابطه بین فرهنگ سازمانی و محیط کاری ایمن آگاهانه در چندین نیروگاه هسته ایی اعمال شده است.

نتایج: رضایت ارتباطی کارکنان تا حدودی باعث ایجاد روابط مثبت میان یک فرهنگ سازمانی و یک محیط کار ایمنِ آگاهانه می شود. بحث: فرهنگ سازمانی که در آن همکاری، روابط حمایتی، رشد فردی و عملکرد موفق، تشویق می شود، ایجاد یک محیط کار ایمن آگاهانه را تسهیل می کند. این تاثیر تا حدی با افزایش رضایتمندی ارتباطی کارکنان ارتباط دارد. کاربرد عملی: فرهنگ های سازمانی باید در سازمان ها تشویق شوند. علاوه براین، مدیران باید سیاست ها و شیوه های ارتباطی را تقویت کنند که از محیط کار ایمن آگاهانه حمایت می کنند.

Abstract

Introduction: A safety-conscious work environment allows high-reliability organizations to be proactive regarding safety and enables employees to feel free to report any concern without fear of retaliation. Currently, research on the antecedents to safety-conscious work environments is scarce. Method: Structural equation modeling was applied to test the mediating role of employee communication satisfaction in the relationship between constructive culture and a safety-conscious work environment in several nuclear power plants.

Results: Employee communication satisfaction partially mediated the positive relationships between a constructive culture and a safety-conscious work environment. Conclusions: Constructive cultures in which cooperation, supportive relationships, individual growth and high performance are encouraged facilitate the establishment of a safety-conscious work environment. This influence is partially explained by increased employee communication satisfaction. Practical application: Constructive cultures should be encouraged within organizations. In addition, managers should promote communication policies and practices that support a safety-conscious work environment.

Introduction

In high-reliability organizations (HROs), a safety-conscious work environment (SCWE) may help prevent catastrophic accidents that can have serious human, economic, and environmental consequences (e.g., INPO [Institute of Nuclear Power Operations], 2013; NEI [Nuclear Energy Institute], 2003). Many types of organizations can be HROs, including chemical plants, aircraft companies, and nuclear power plants, among others.

Accidents are extremely rare in HROs. Nonetheless, failures in system components (e.g., people, equipment, procedures) can interact in unpredictable ways (Perrow, 1984). In addition, because there is high interdependence among system components, failures may cascade into even greater problems before operators can understand the situation (Perrow, 1984). Subsequently, HROs (i.e., nuclear power plants) continuously monitor safety and attempt to anticipate potential problems (Morrow, Koves, & Barnes, 2014). Therefore, research on SCWEs and their antecedents has practical implications that are relevant for HRO safety. A SCWE is common in those organizations in which employees feel free to raise any concerns to their managers,which managers can use to obtain a complete picture of the organizational state of operations and to identify “weak cases” or “early warning signs” of safety degradation (e.g., Pidgeon, 1997).

This study, which was conducted in several nuclear power plants, aims to examine the relationship between constructive culture and SCWEs and to assess the mediating role of employee satisfaction with organizational communication in this relationship. 1.1. Constructive culture and a SCWE Previous research suggests that organizational culture is vital for safety in HROs (e.g., the post accident investigation into the Challenger disaster; Vaughan, 2009). Nonetheless, the myriad conceptualizations of organizational culture (e.g., Reason, 1997; Turner & Pidgeon, 1997) have prevented the accumulation of knowledge (e.g., Sackmann, 2011). This study attempts to counteract this difficulty by detailing the conceptualization of organizational culture we have adopted.