Money & society · 2025
Are better coworker relationships linked to safer behavior on construction sites in China?
Yes. In a survey of 347 frontline construction workers in three major Chinese cities, better coworker relationships were associated with safer behavior compared with weaker relationships. A stronger team emphasis on safety reinforced parts of this pattern, but the survey does not establish that better relationships cause safer behavior.
Details
The researchers examined how coworker relationships were connected to safety behavior, including whether feeling part of the team and sharing knowledge within it helped explain the connection. Their statistical model found a positive association between coworker relationships and safety behavior, as well as indirect connections through team belonging and knowledge sharing. When the team placed greater emphasis on safety, the links between coworker relationships and both of these team processes were stronger.
This was a survey, not an experiment that changed workplace relationships. The proposed pathways are therefore possible explanations, not proven causal mechanisms. Although the authors suggest that strengthening relationships and emphasizing safety could help managers improve safety, the abstract does not report a measured reduction in workplace accidents.
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