Does a managerial focus on risk affect the risk perceptions of frontline workers? Evidence from three survey experiments

Risky situations, characterized by a high degree of uncertainty and potentially negative consequences for service recipients, are inevitable in public service delivery. Frontline workers have considerable discretion and make decisions based on how they perceive risky situations. Using pre-registered survey experiments with 1,138 respondents from three different professions, this study investigates how a managerial focus on risk (in the shape of probing professional issues) affects frontline workers’ perception of risky situations. The findings show that a managerial focus on risk significantly reduces the risk perceptions of frontline workers, but that the effect diminishes as level of professionalism increases. The implications lie in the eyes of the beholder, but if frontline managers believe that a reduced risk perception among frontline workers is desirable, they should engage with their decision-making by focusing on the elements of uncertainty and potential consequences to service recipients in risky situations.