What if work-related crime isn’t just about bad actors—but bad environments?
Two recent reports from the Swedish Agency for Work Environment Expertise (SAWEE) challenge us to rethink how we understand crime in the workplace. They reveal a compelling narrative: work-related crime is not merely a legal or compliance issue—it’s a symptom of deeper dysfunctions in the work environment.
The Hidden Link Between Crime and Culture
The first report, Perceptions of the Relationship Between Work-related Crime and the Work Environment, draws on interviews with stakeholders across public authorities, trade unions, employer organizations, and workplace representatives [1]. Their message is clear: poor organizational culture, weak leadership, and unclear responsibilities create fertile ground for unethical or illegal behavior. Wage theft, labor exploitation, and unsafe practices don’t arise in a vacuum—they flourish where transparency and accountability are lacking.
From Compliance to Culture
The second report, The Impact of Work-related Crime on the Work Environment, synthesizes academic research and policy analysis to show how crime at work affects employees’ physical and mental health [2]. It highlights that traditional compliance-based approaches—rules, inspections, penalties—are not enough. What’s needed is a cultural shift: workplaces where fairness, psychological safety, and ethical leadership are the norm.
Why This Matters Now
In today’s rapidly evolving labor market—marked by gig work, cross-border employment, and digital surveillance—the boundaries of responsibility are blurring. This makes it even more critical to understand how the work environment shapes behavior. As one internal summary put it: “Let’s stop treating work-related crime as an isolated issue. It’s time to see it for what it often is: a symptom of deeper environmental dysfunction—and an opportunity for systemic change” .
A Call to Action
For policymakers, this means designing regulations that go beyond checklists. For employers, it means investing in leadership, communication, and ethical culture. And for researchers and practitioners—especially those in the PEROSH network—it’s a call to deepen collaboration across disciplines.
Let’s move from reactive enforcement to proactive prevention. Because a healthy work environment isn’t just good for business—it’s a safeguard against crime.
References
[1] Perceptions of the relationship between work-related crime and the work …
[2] The Impact of Work-related Crime on the Work Environment
