Put Safety First: Exploring the Role of Health and Safety Practices in Improving the Performance of SMEs

The study was conducted to ascertain the role of health and safety practices (HSPs) in improving the performance of the firm and safety performance. The study was conducted in Pakistan, a developing country from South Asia. This study collected data from various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) located in Karachi and Sindh, Pakistan. Data were analyzed through statistical packages for scientific solutions. The feasibility of survey data was primarily tested with the help of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, .80, which shows the construct items to have interitem consistency. Subsequently, descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistic techniques (Pearson correlation coefficient of significant [two-tailed] and simple regression) were used. The study findings reveal that HSPs have a significant effect on the performance of SMEs and safety performance. Firms in developing countries need to pay more attention to HSPs so that the positive benefits of increased SME performance and safety performance can be attained. The implications are discussed in detail.

Automated summary

The study examined the role of health and safety practices (HSPs) in improving the performance of SMEs and safety performance in Pakistan. The findings showed a significant effect of HSPs on both aspects, suggesting the importance for firms in developing countries to pay attention to HSPs for increased performance and safety outcomes.