Management Practice and Employee Mental Health: An Occupational Safety Perspective

Abstract

There has hitherto been little attempt to investigate the links between management malpractice, mental health and occupational health and safety. In this paper the development of criteria for a viable methodology to assess the possibility of the existence of this link, has been developed. A semi-structured questionnaire was devised and used in a pilot study which revealed a connection between poor management techniques and mental ill-health. Some of the selected people who were invited to participate declined for fear of further intimidation. The analysis of the pilot study is discussed and the results indicate that there is a need for further, more detailed research to establish and quantify factors contributing to poor mental health in employees.