The interaction among life and work stress, and cognitive biases on employees’ orientation toward safe courses of action in occupational decisions

Abstract

Thisstudy explored the effects that life and work stress have on employee safety decision-makingunder three cognitive biases that hinder safety participation. Utilityemployees of municipalities and companies responded to (1) a survey regardingtheir work and global life stress levels and (2) decision simulationsconcerning safety orientation. The simulation scenarios were framed tofacilitate conditions highlighting Recency, Melioration, and Free-ride SocialDilemma biases.Perceived life stress was not a significant predictor of atendency to engage in safety in any of the biases. Work stress was asignificant predictor of reducing engagement in safety in the Recency biasonly. The study was conducted during the peak of COVID-19. COVID-19, primarilythe loss of someone close due to COVID-19, had significant effects under allthree bias conditions. Opposite effects of several variables in differentbiases hint at the need to further research the effects of these biases onsafety participation.