THE APPLICATION OF THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR IN THE CONTEXT OF ICT-ENABLED OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SYSTEM IN SOUTH AFRICA DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the world of work, bringing in new ways of working and the use of alternate work arrangements. Organisations’ are seldom prepared for the deterioration and readjustment working conditions in the wake of a global health crisis. The role of Information and Communications Technology in strengthening the organisations’ Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) measures cannot be overlooked. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this article therefore assesses the impact of employees’ behavior regarding ICT and its use on OHS practices in a South African public sector organization and explores how technology can be leveraged to strengthen OHS practices in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. From a quantitative research methodology approach, data was collected using a random probability sampling technique from a sample of 103 employees in a government establishment. The collected data is analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique through SmartPLS 3.0. The findings of the study demonstrate the existence of a significant relationship of employee behavior and the use of ICT at work, resulting in enhanced OHS. The study also offers several research implications, limitations, and directions for the future in the concluding sections.