Influence of safety climate on risk tolerance and risk-taking behavior: A cross-cultural examination

Although there are growing number of studies that investigate the influence of safety climate on safety outcomes, the relationship between safety climate and individual risk-taking behavior remains unknown. This study leverages survey data from 11,811 construction workers from 19 countries to empirically validate the associations between safety climate, risk tolerance, and risk-taking decisions in the workplace using linear-mixed effects model analysis. Results showed that safety climate has a significantly negative relationship with risk tolerance. Furthermore, safety climate also has a negative relationship with risk-taking decisions, which is independent of respective risk tolerance levels. These results show that safety climate can reduce risk tolerance and promote more risk-averse decision-making at work. The consistency of these results across diverse cultures suggests that multi-national organizations can foster a consistent safety culture where operational rules are followed, and risks are avoided. Future research is suggested to validate these findings and explore how individual organizational policies and interventions influence safety climate and risk-based decision making.