IMPACT OF WORKPLACE SAFETY ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY

BY

SABAHAT SIDDIQUE (13375)

Karachi, Pakistan December 13, 2011

IURC130310

IQRA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CENTRE- IURC IQRA UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH PROPOSAL FORMAT Research Title:

Impact of Workplace safety on Employee productivity

Introduction:

In the past health and safety programs are normally administered independently and occasionally due to cross purposes (Heaney and Goetzel, 1997). Goetzel (2008) explained that Workplace safety is related to all the elements which can affect employees health in working environment which includes workplace violence, unsafe working processes or conditions and environmental hazards. Health and safety of working men and women can be assured by giving education, research, training and knowledge about work-related health and wellbeing and to serve up this point an initiative was taken by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) back in 1970. NIOSH took an important step in 2003 to ensure healthier workforce named as Work Life Initiative. The Work Life Initiative has following important purposes (1) To minimize the injuries , disabilities and illness related to working environment (2) To provide awareness related to healthier lifestyle which will help in reducing chronic disease There are several studies which found the association between poor health and low productivity (Goetzel et al., 1998). Claxton et al. (1999) explained that when employees stress is properly taken care of it reduces absenteeism. It has been also examined that employees productivity increases when appropriately treated for allergies (Cockburn et al. 1999). Burton et al. (1999) documented a positive association among adaptable health threat factors and performance of employees functioning in a bank. Employees with safe working conditions (injury-free employees) add to companys profitability because they are more productive. They have the authority to know regarding the likely hazards related to working conditions so its organizations responsibility to provide them complete information about any risk allied with working conditions. Employees also have right to refuse work in dangerous working conditions explained by (Johansson et al., 1991). Motivated employees are more productive and chances of success for any organization increase if it has motivated workforce. If any organization provide safe and healthy working environment employees will remain motivated and work at their full capacity.

Statement of the Problem:

In a highly competitive market companies need to maintain good safety environment to retain and enhance performance (productivity) of its employees. It is unrealistic to think that maintaining safer environment has no impact on employees productivity. . Employees of a company which has a good safety plan feel that the company value them, feel satisfied and perform better than a company which has no or ordinary safety plans.
Model/Framework to be used:

Dependent Variable = Employees productivity (EP) Independent variable = Work place safety (WPS) EP = f (WPS) EP = + 1 SPT + 1 SMP + --------- (a)

Equation: SPT= Safety policies and training SMP= Safety Manuals and programs SPT

Provisions SMP
Variable to be Studied:

Dependent variable = Employees productivity (EP) Independent Variable = Work place safety (WPS)
Proposed Research Hypothesis:

Ho: There is no significant effect of Safety policies and training on employee productivity. H1: There is a significant effect of Safety policies and training on employee productivity. Ho: There is no significant effect of Safety Manuals and programs on employee productivity. H2: There is a significant effect of Safety Manuals and programs on employee productivity.

Sources of Information:

This is a primary data based study. The information will be collected through a questionnaire. Secondary data will be collected from journals and internet to use in literature review.

Sampling Technique & Procedure:

Random sampling technique will be used to select sample.

Sample Size:

Sample size of the study is 75 employees working in construction companies in Karachi.

Method of Data Collection & Procedure:

Primary data will be collected through a questionnaire by visiting construction companies

Instrument/s of Data Collection:

The research instruments for data collection in this study will be questionnaire. Questionnaire is an efficient data collection mechanism where we know exactly what is required and measures the variables of interest. A detailed questionnaire is designed which has a total of 21 questions and these questions are rated by using the Likert Scale. This scale is designed to examine how strongly respondents agree or disagree with statements on a 5-points scale with the following anchors; Strongly Disagree 1 Disagree 2 NAND* 3 Agree 4 Strongly Agree 5

The responses over a number of items tapping a particular variable are then we find the mean for every respondent. This is an interval scale and the difference in the responses between any two points on the scale remains the same (Kumar 2005). Note: NAND means Neither Agree Nor Disagree.
Statistical Tests to be used:

Regression analysis will be used to examine the relation of a dependent variable (responding) to specified independent variables (explanatory variables).

Possible Research Findings:

It is expected that workplace safety have positive influence on employee productivity. Companies can use safety procedures to enhance employee productivity.

List of References:

_______________ __________________ Thesis Supervisor

Head Research IURC