The review is based on European research, with about half of the included studies conducted in the Nordic countries. The research highlights that numerous factors influence how organisations work with OHS. These range from legislation and EU directives to leadership and governance, as well as employees’ working conditions and knowledge. The findings also show that organisational size matters—small businesses, in particular, face greater challenges.
To provide a broader overview of the conditions that affect both OHS practices and regulatory compliance, the researchers identified four overarching themes:
- From legislation to practice – how regulations are interpreted and applied, and how regulatory compliance is monitored.
- The importance of context – how conditions vary across countries and sectors, and how external societal factors come into play.
- The importance of structure – the role of organisational conditions and working conditions.
- The importance of social relations – the influence of social interaction in the workplace.
One key conclusion is that legislation does in fact influence how organisations conduct OHS management. However, the conditions that shape this work exist at multiple levels – from laws and directives to employee-level factors like workload and knowledge.
The review also shows that laws and regulations represent an external pressure for OHS management, while internal systems – such as leadership and governance – create internal pressure. Thomas Nessen, process manager at the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise, emphasises that both types of pressure are important for how organisations can work with OHS issues:
“The research shows that many different conditions influence how organisations work with OHS. For example, clear and relevant regulations create external pressure, while competent and knowledgeable managers create internal pressure,” says Thomas Nessen, Process Manager at the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise.
The review also identifies a need for further research – particularly studies that include gender and equality perspectives. Given the significant variation between countries, within countries, and across and within sectors, future comparative studies would be valuable.