Proper working conditions and successful occupational health and safety (OHS) management
help organizations achieve their targets and support the quality of working life and performance.
Work-related stress, conflicts, work ability issues, ill health, and other challenging OHS situations
in the workplace may impede the well-being and productivity of employees. According to OHS
legislation, employers are responsible for managing risks and solving problems in the work community.
Challenging situations can be viewed from the perspective of efficiency, since their economic
effects may be remarkable.
The objective of this study is to describe the challenging OHS situations managers encounter
and the support they require in these situations. The results are based on thematic interviews and
inquiries with top, middle, and front-line managers in three Finnish public sector service organizations.
The most challenging OHS management situations are related to the administration of work
under high economic pressure and constant changes in the work community, managing employee
workload and time pressures, providing feedback, facilitating collaboration, and managing conflict.
The managers? own understandings, competences, and resources, as well as organizational supports,
have an effect on successful resolutions of challenging OHS management situations.
Author Biographies
Sari Tappura, Center for Safety Management and Engineering, Industrial Management, Tampere University of Technology
Doctoral student
Sirpa Syv?nen, School of Management and Work Research Centre, University of Tampere
Adjunct professor
Kaija Leena Saarela, Center for Safety Management and Engineering, Industrial Management, Tampere University of Technology
