Abstract:
Promoting voluntary safety behaviour is vital in high-risk industries such as gem
mining, which significantly contributes to Sri Lanka’s informal economy. Such
behaviour minimises workplace accidents and strengthens organisational safety
culture. This study investigates the influence of leader–member exchange (LMX)
dimensions—respect, affection, loyalty, and contribution—on safety citizenship
behaviour (SCB) and examines the moderating role of trust in this relationship.
Despite growing global interest in occupational safety, limited research has explored
how leadership quality affects voluntary safety behaviours in informal, high-risk
sectors like gem mining. The main objective of this study is to assess how LMX
dimensions impact SCB and to determine whether trust moderates this relationship.
A quantitative research design was adopted, involving 275 gem miners selected
through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a structured
questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, regression, and moderation
analysis via SPSS. Findings revealed that the LMX dimensions of respect, loyalty,
and contribution significantly and positively influenced safety citizenship behaviour,
whereas affection had no significant effect. Among these, respect and contribution
demonstrated the strongest positive influence, indicating that miners are more
inclined to engage in voluntary safety behaviours when they feel respected and their
efforts are recognised. This highlights the importance of task-oriented leadership
relationships over emotional bonds in high-risk environments. Trust, tested as a
moderating variable, did not significantly alter the relationship between LMX
dimensions and SCB. While trust remains conceptually important, its moderating
effect appears limited in influencing voluntary safety behaviour. The findings suggest
that leadership development initiatives emphasising these qualities play a critical role
in promoting a strong safety culture among gem miners in Sri Lanka.
