Title: Organisational safeguarding: a new imperative for management?

Authors: Vitumbiko Andrew Ngwira; Abubaker Qutieshat

Addresses: Graduate School of Business, University of Zambia, Zambia ' Oman Dental College, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract: Safeguarding is increasingly becoming a buzzword in organisational management. This has come up due to the rising cases of workplace bullying, emotional abuse, and harassment. While many humanitarian organisations have embraced the concept, safeguarding is having a snail's pace in penetrating the management field. Understanding the lapses in organisational safeguarding is crucial to creating a safe work environment for employees and customers or beneficiaries. This conceptual paper looks at safeguarding and its growing need in business management. This study examines safeguarding not only from the perspective of children and vulnerable individuals but also employees. The discussion draws insights from various literatures on workplace safety and harassment. The discussion has implications for how organisations can implement policies that not only deter harassment but advance workplace safety. The study also confirms that organisational safeguarding has a significant slot within the broader business management field.

Keywords: safeguarding; business management; abuse; workplace bullying; employee safety.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2023.132907

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2023 Vol.13 No.3, pp.272 - 283

Received: 10 May 2022
Accepted: 11 Nov 2022
Published online: 16 Aug 2023 *

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