Employee experiences of how leadership, communication and commitment influence food safety culture at a Cape Town meat processor

Abstract

Recurrent foodborne disease outbreaks resulting in sickness and deaths are a global concern. Ongoing investigations reveal that foodborne disease outbreaks have been attributed to the breakdown of food safety management systems due to improper human behaviour or lack of food safety culture. This study aims to describe employee experiences of the food safety culture at a meat processor in Cape Town and to provide recommendations to assist the company to lessen the risks associated with policies and behaviours that lead to unsafe meat production. Through a comprehensive literature review, the research established the need for a comprehensive food safety culture and identified links between organisational culture, human behaviour and safe food production. A qualitative methodology was used to gather data on employee experiences of how leadership, communication and commitment influence the food safety culture at a Cape Town meat processor and proposes amendments. The research findings revealed that leadership showed commitment to food safety through a documented food safety management system and effective training provision but that the system was not fully implemented due to its complexity and provision only in English, limiting food handlers’ understanding. The findings further revealed the benefits of autocratic leadership in providing instruction and decision-making. However, this leadership style sometimes resulted in lack of effective delegation, impacting on staff morale and limiting the integration of a comprehensive food safety culture. Lack of leadership commitment in providing some critical resources and in taking disciplinary action where necessary were found to negatively impact safe production practices. Gaps in communication, such as lack of feedback and consultative discussion, were also found to negatively impact safe food production. However, employees reported teamwork fostered by the owner/manager as creating a sense of belonging among employees and encouraging innate individual commitment towards safe food production. This research thus concluded that there are shortcomings in the company’s food safety culture, suggesting a potential significant food safety risk. More specifically, the research concluded that elements considered important in maintaining a positive food safety culture, including exemplary leadership, accountability, provision of crucial resources, effective communication and consistent food safety behaviour, were absent. The major recommendations from this study are that food safety management system documentation should be translated and that relevant training should be ongoing. Where relevant, more consultative leadership style and effective delegation should be practised. Leadership should exhibit better commitment to food safety through provisioning of crucial resources, which include time and equipment. Attention should be given to facilitating two-way communication and improving feedback. Exploration into food safety culture to understand employee behaviour especially in Africa where there are recurrent foodborne diseases in the meat-processing industry is crucial to providing proactive measures towards safe food. Although food safety culture is unique to each business, this case study has identified shortcomings at the meat processor suggesting potential food safety risks and proposes ways in which safe meat production could be improved. The results also suggest a need for further research on the subject of food safety culture and its potential to reduce foodborne diseases.