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Leading safely: The impact of generalist CEOs on workplace safety

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Tony Xiaochi
  • Molchanov, Alexander
  • Nguyen, Harvey
  • Pham, Mia Hang

Abstract

Businesses are expected to operate as responsible corporate entities, with employee safety serving as a cornerstone of this responsibility. Executives, as corporate leaders, bear moral and ethical obligations to ensure the well-being of their workforce. Drawing on human capital and upper echelons theories, we examine the influence of executives' transferable skills on workplace safety outcomes. We find that chief executive officers (CEOs) with general managerial human capital significantly contribute to the creation of safer work environments. The relation is more pronounced in firms facing financing constraints or intense market competition. These CEOs improve safety outcomes by making more prudent labor investment decisions, reducing employee workloads, and maintaining high information quality. Overall, our study underscores the pivotal role of CEOs' general managerial human capital in promoting employee well-being and mitigating the potential adverse consequences of occupational hazards on firm performance. JEL classification: J28; M12; M54

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Tony Xiaochi & Molchanov, Alexander & Nguyen, Harvey & Pham, Mia Hang, 2025. "Leading safely: The impact of generalist CEOs on workplace safety," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:beexfi:v:46:y:2025:i:c:s2214635025000371
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbef.2025.101056
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employee well-being; Workplace safety; General managerial skills; Upper echelons; Labor investment efficiency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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