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The associations of the psychosocial safety climate with human service workers’ job demands, resources, and work-and health-related outcomes : A scoping review

Karatuna, Işıl ; Jönsson, Sandra LU ; Dollard, Maureen F. and Muhonen, Tuija (2025) In Safety Science 191.
Abstract

Objectives: Human service workers are at a greater risk for negative work and health-related outcomes due to the highly demanding nature of their work which involves unique stressors such as emotion work and routine interactions with clients. This scoping review synthesizes the current state of literature reporting on the associations of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) with human service workers’ job demands, resources, and work- and health-related outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC, Education Research Complete, ProQuest (theses) database and Google Scholar. The search included both published and unpublished studies reported in English... (More)

Objectives: Human service workers are at a greater risk for negative work and health-related outcomes due to the highly demanding nature of their work which involves unique stressors such as emotion work and routine interactions with clients. This scoping review synthesizes the current state of literature reporting on the associations of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) with human service workers’ job demands, resources, and work- and health-related outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC, Education Research Complete, ProQuest (theses) database and Google Scholar. The search included both published and unpublished studies reported in English and released between 2010 and May 28, 2025. Foreign-language papers with English abstracts were also included if they provided sufficient information related to the research questions. Results: 59 studies which met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The observed associations were mostly in line with the theoretical propositions of the PSC-extended model. High PSC predicted better work and health outcomes directly and indirectly through reduced demands and increased resources. Additionally, high PSC moderated the negative (positive) effects of job demands (resources) on work and health outcomes. Conclusion: PSC is an important organizational climate construct, especially for demanding and difficult occupations such as human service occupations. High PSC is associated with numerous positive outcomes for human service workers’ motivation and health. Our findings can help managers to understand the importance of fostering a high-PSC work environment among human service workers.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Human services, Job demands, Outcomes, Psychosocial safety climate, Resources
in
Safety Science
volume
191
article number
106949
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105011598054
ISSN
0925-7535
DOI
10.1016/j.ssci.2025.106949
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d14b06fa-23f9-4e0a-9097-c0058d2a2afe
date added to LUP
2025-10-27 12:57:27
date last changed
2025-10-27 12:58:00
@article{d14b06fa-23f9-4e0a-9097-c0058d2a2afe,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: Human service workers are at a greater risk for negative work and health-related outcomes due to the highly demanding nature of their work which involves unique stressors such as emotion work and routine interactions with clients. This scoping review synthesizes the current state of literature reporting on the associations of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) with human service workers’ job demands, resources, and work- and health-related outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the PsycINFO, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC, Education Research Complete, ProQuest (theses) database and Google Scholar. The search included both published and unpublished studies reported in English and released between 2010 and May 28, 2025. Foreign-language papers with English abstracts were also included if they provided sufficient information related to the research questions. Results: 59 studies which met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. The observed associations were mostly in line with the theoretical propositions of the PSC-extended model. High PSC predicted better work and health outcomes directly and indirectly through reduced demands and increased resources. Additionally, high PSC moderated the negative (positive) effects of job demands (resources) on work and health outcomes. Conclusion: PSC is an important organizational climate construct, especially for demanding and difficult occupations such as human service occupations. High PSC is associated with numerous positive outcomes for human service workers’ motivation and health. Our findings can help managers to understand the importance of fostering a high-PSC work environment among human service workers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Karatuna, Işıl and Jönsson, Sandra and Dollard, Maureen F. and Muhonen, Tuija}},
  issn         = {{0925-7535}},
  keywords     = {{Human services; Job demands; Outcomes; Psychosocial safety climate; Resources}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Safety Science}},
  title        = {{The associations of the psychosocial safety climate with human service workers’ job demands, resources, and work-and health-related outcomes : A scoping review}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2025.106949}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ssci.2025.106949}},
  volume       = {{191}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}