Beyond rules and relationships: Unpacking the formal-informal network interplay in shaping construction workers' safety behavior

Abstract

In high-risk industries such as construction, social capital plays a critical role in cultivating consistent safety behavior. Yet, prior research has largely examined either formal organizational structures or informal interpersonal networks in isolation, overlooking how their structural interplay may generate distinctive and meaningful effects on workers' safety behavior. To address this gap, this study explores how the interplay between formal and informal networks shapes safety behavior through the development of interpersonal trust. Drawing on interpersonal trust theory, we theorize that the interplay among multiple types of worker networks shapes safety behavior through distinct trust mechanisms. Using three-wave survey data from 525 construction workers nested within 44 work crews in China, we tested the proposed multilevel model using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The results showed that the interplay of formal network and advice-seeking network enhances safety behavior via cognitive trust, and the interplay of formal network and friendship network promotes safety behavior via affective trust. Moreover, environmental uncertainty strengthens the positive effects of both forms of trust on safety behavior. This study advances the understanding of how social network interplay shapes safety practices in the construction industry. These findings offer practical guidance for frontline supervisors, helping them cultivate more effective on-site interactions and communication patterns that foster stable safety behavior among workers.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Acta Psychologica, 2026 · DOI ↗