Fostering workplace safety with a gender-diverse workforce

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores the impact of workforce gender composition on operational safety within US-listed firms. The aim is to understand how gender diversity within firms can contribute to fewer workplace accidents and provide a reference for safety management that promotes gender diversity as a safety measure. Design/methodology/approach: Employing two-way fixed effects regression analysis, this research assesses the relationship between gender diversity of employees and workplace injuries of firms. The analysis is strengthened through several robustness checks and further analysis, including alternative measurement approaches, generalized method of moments (GMM) regression and quantile regression. Findings: The findings indicate that firms with a more gender-diverse workforce composition report fewer time-lost injuries. This effect is especially pronounced in companies with large income stream variability and those experiencing high labor turnover. These results suggest that a gender-diverse workforce is not only beneficial but critical for enhancing psychologically safe and inclusive climates in the workplace, thereby reducing the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. Originality/value: This research contributes uniquely to the field of operations management by highlighting the overlooked aspect of gender composition in operational safety amid various operational environments. The insights from this study can assist managers in leveraging gender diversity for safety enhancement and help government agencies in developing policies that encourage a safer and more inclusive workplace environment.