The relationship between psychological capital, job satisfaction, and safety perceptions in the maritime industry

• Published in: Safety science Vol. 74; pp. 27 - 36
• Main Authors: Bergheim, Kjersti, Nielsen, Morten Birkeland, Mearns, Kathryn, Eid, Jarle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier India Pvt Ltd 01.04.2015
• Subjects: Climate; Cultural aspects; Job satisfaction; Level (quantity); Maritime; Maritime workers; Perception; Psychological capital; Safety; Safety climate; Safety critical organizations; Training; Variance; Norway; Psychological capital; Job satisfaction; Safety climate; Safety critical organizations; Maritime workers
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2014.11.024

•In two studies, psychological capital (PsyCap) is found to be related to safety perceptions.•The association between PsyCap and safety perception is mediated by job satisfaction.•Cross-cultural difference in PsyCap and safety perception is found between Europeans and Filipinos.•The study adds to the understanding of how and for whom PsyCap is related to safety perception. In two studies we examine whether Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is related to perceptions of safety climate and job satisfaction among maritime workers from three Norwegian shipping companies. Results from Study 1 (N=486) and Study 2 (N=594) showed that PsyCap was positively associated with – and explained between 10% and 12% of the variance in perceptions of safety climate. PsyCap contributed to the variance in safety climate after adjusting for social desirable responding. An interaction analysis indicated that officers and non-officers perceived the safety climate as similar when their PsyCap is low, but that officers with high levels of PsyCap have a more positive perception of the safety climate than non-officers with high levels of PsyCap. In Study 2 a positive association was established between safety perceptions and job satisfaction, as well as between PsyCap and job satisfaction in a multicultural sample of maritime workers. Findings from analyses of indirect effects suggest that PsyCap has an indirect (mediating) relationship with perceptions of safety climate through job satisfaction. Altogether, PsyCap and job satisfaction explained 21% of the variance in safety climate. Cross-national differences were established in that the indirect effect was only valid for European workers, and not for Filipinos. An important implication of these findings is that safety focused interventions could benefit from taking PsyCap into account in training and motivating for safety.