The Impact of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems on Hospital Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Public and Private Hospitals in District Dadu, Sindh-Pakistan

Abstract

Occupational health and safety play an important role in protecting employees from workplace injuries, accidents, hazards, workplace violence, and unsafe working conditions. Healthcare workers are particularly exposed to occupational risks due to the nature of their work environment, especially in public hospitals where resources and safety measures are often limited. This study aimed to examine the impact of working conditions and labour standards on employee performance in public and private hospitals of District Dadu, Sindh, Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional research design with a quantitative approach was adopted for the study. Data were gathered through a survey questionnaire from 320 randomly selected public and privately owned hospital employees, including doctors, paramedical staff, nurses, and administration staff. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 has been used to analyze data through descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analysis. The study's results indicated that working conditions did not have a significant relationship with employee performance in both public and private hospitals. However, labour standards demonstrated a significant association with employee performance. The research findings further revealed that occupational health and safety practices were better in private hospitals than in public hospitals, comparatively. The investigation noted that challenges related to workplace safety, workplace violence, working hours, and employee facilities were more prevalent in public hospitals than in private hospitals. The study concluded that through supportive organizational policies, safe workplace practices, and better labour standards, employee performance can be improved, which can strengthen healthcare service quality in hospitals.