Understanding the organizational performance metric, an occupational health and safety management tool, through workplace case studies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use a comparative qualitative case study design to better understand how the observed characteristics of an organization correspond to their score on the organizational performance metric (IWH-OPM), a leading indicator tool designed to measure an organization’s occupational health and safety (OHS) performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Five organizations were recruited based on their diverse IWH-OPM scores obtained in a previous study. Qualitative data were collected from these cases and analyzed with consideration of OHS leadership; OHS culture and climate; employee participation in OHS; OHS policies, procedures and practices; and OHS risk control. Similarities and differences among organizations were examined in relation to these themes.

Findings

Three distinct groups of firms emerged from the cross-case analysis in terms of their overall OHS performance: high, medium and low. Higher firm IWH-OPM scores generally corresponded to better OHS performance in the workplace as observed through qualitative methods.

Originality/value

The findings are a step toward OHS leaders or practitioners eventually being able, based on an organization’s IWH-OPM score, to have a quick understanding of a workplace’s OHS status and of how best to support further improvement.

Citation

Yanar, B., Robson, L.S., Tonima, S.K. and Amick III, B.C. (2020), "Understanding the organizational performance metric, an occupational health and safety management tool, through workplace case studies", International Journal of Workplace Health Management, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 117-138. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-09-2018-0126