How to improve performance and prevent burnout in safety representatives.

BACKGROUND

The present work is part of a greater research project, aimed to examine Safety Representatives' (SRs) role, twenty years after the appointment of this figure.

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to investigate the role of some personal and organizational dimensions in the promotion of SRs' well-being, in terms of reducing burnout and improving performance.

METHODS

The study involved 455 SRs operating in North East Italy. They completed a self-report questionnaire, regarding conflicts with co-workers, ethical conflict, training satisfaction, work engagement, performance, and burnout.

RESULTS

Structural equation models show that work engagement partially mediates (γ=-0.52, p<0.001; β=0.23, p<0.01) the relationship between conflict with co-workers and performance (γ=-0.26; p<0.01), as well as partially mediating (γ=0.14, p<0.05; β=0.23; p<0.01) the relationship between training satisfaction and performance (γ=0.21, p<0.001). Moreover, it totally mediates the relationship between conflict with co-workers and burnout (γ=-0.52, p<0.001; β=-0.40, p<0.001), as well as totally mediating the relationship between training satisfaction and burnout (γ=0.14, p<0.05; β=-0.40, p<0.001). Finally, ethical conflict is positively associated with burnout (γ=0.047, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides useful information about the improvement of SRs' well-being, highlighting the importance of their involvement in this role.