The role of psychosocial safety climate in engineers’ well-being: Examining the mediating effects of leader–member exchange and psychological capital

Engineers working in sectors such as mining, construction and offshore operations are often based in remote locations, exposed to harsh physical environments and required to meet tight project deadlines, all of which place significant pressure on their wellbeing. Drawing on Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examines how organisational Psychosocial Safety Climate, Leader–member exchange (LMX) and Psychological Capital are associated with engineers’ wellbeing. Data from 133 engineers in Australia were collected using a two-wave survey. The findings show that a positive Psychosocial Safety Climate is associated with higher quality LMX relationships and higher levels of Psychological Capital, which in turn are linked to higher wellbeing. LMX is positively related to Psychological Capital but not directly to wellbeing, highlighting Psychological Capital as a key personal resource linking work climate, relationships with supervisors and wellbeing. The study explains how organisational and relational resources can be leveraged to protect the wellbeing of engineers in high-risk sectors (such as mining, construction and offshore operations) and related settings. In the context of engineering skill shortages, the results suggest that investing in Psychosocial Safety Climate and effective supervisor–engineer relationships plays a central role in building engineers’ psychological resources to sustain their wellbeing.