Preventing Violence and Harassment Through Leadership, Policy, and Safety Culture in Emergency Healthcare Settings

Arjun Bhandari Thapa; Pratiksha Priya Shakya

doi:10.69725/shmw.v1i4.293

Authors

Arjun B Thapa Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal
Pratiksha P Shakya Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69725/shmw.v1i4.293

Keywords:

Workplace Violence Prevention, Leadership Commitment, Safety Culture, Organizational Policy, Harassment Reporting Systems

Abstract

Objective: This article investigates the effects of leadership commitment, organizational policies, training, reporting mechanisms, and workplace culture in reducing harassment and violence in work organizations.
Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional survey design of employees in various industries. Responses were analyzed by structural equation modeling to investigate direct and indirect relationships between factors.

Findings: The findings indicate that leadership support, sound policy implementation, and strong response are effective in minimizing workplace harassment and violence. Training and education programs develop the resiliency and awareness of employees to inappropriate behaviors. What’s more, a supportive organizational culture is a powerful driver in preventing misbehavior and suggests that societal approaches are more effective when they’re combined instead of working in isolation.

Novelty: This study adds to the literature by combining several organizational-level initiatives as part of one comprehensive framework, creating a comprehensive view of how structural and cultural interventions intersect to reduce workplace harassment. Unlike past research concentrating on single variables, the present work highlights how leadership, policy, and culture act as additive mechanisms.

Research Implications: The results have implications for the necessity of taking a multi-level and systems-oriented perspective to organizational governance. Policy makers and managers are recommended to integrate harassment-prevention measures into broader cultural change efforts for an impact that lasts. This analysis also has implications for international labor standards in a practical sense, as it offers evidence-based guidance to organizations within different cultural and legal frameworks.

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Author Biographies

Arjun B Thapa, Department of Community Medicine, Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Nepal

dr. Arjun Bhandari Thapa, M.D., MPH is an Associate Professor specializing in global health and tropical medicine. His research focuses on healthcare access in post-conflict settings, mountain medicine, and the challenges facing rural healthcare systems in developing countries. He has extensive field experience in remote health post management and serves as a consultant for Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population on disaster medicine protocols.
Pratiksha P Shakya, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lagankhel, Lalitpur, Nepal

Pratiksha P Shakya, M.D., MPH is a public health physician and researcher focusing on gender-based violence in humanitarian settings and mental health support for frontline health workers. Her current work involves developing community-based psychosocial support systems for healthcare providers working in crisis-affected areas. She leads several research projects on health system resilience in earthquake-prone and climate-vulnerable regions of Nepal.

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