A critique of the relevance of technical and adaptive (soft) skills among an organization's staff to influence safety culture.

On ethical analysis of the complex relationships related to technical and adaptive (soft) skills in an organization's labour force that affect safety culture, a close examination shows much more than skill borrowing. The structural keystones are technical skills beyond specialized knowledge and competencies, particularly in individual tasks and procedures, since the easy implementation of safety directives at work (Grijalvo Martín et al., 2020). Employees with good technical skills understand the safety regulations well and work relatively safely, minimizing the chances of accidents and incidents that threaten to undermine an organization's overall security and safety culture (N?vestad et al., 2020). At the same time, adaptive or soft skills grow in value significantly and also increasingly as an offsetting factor that fosters the integrated safety culture. When comparing negative and positive safety cultures, stark differences emerge in the way organizations prioritize safety, engage employees, and respond to safety incidents.? Negative safety culture breeds a culture of blame, fear and apathy, where safety concerns are brushed aside or met with resistance. In contrast, positive safety culture cultivates a sense of ownership, commitment, and empowerment, where safety is seen as a collective responsibility that transcends individual roles and hierarchies. Practical communication skills, teamwork, and good leadership traits go a long way in creating an ambiance where Safety is assumed to be de facto (Sabuhari et al., 2020). Therefore, individuals possessing good communication skills are crucial to the smooth propagation of safety information because all team members understand and abide by the set protocols. Moreover, the emergence of working in a team culture stimulates collective accountability about Safety, whereby employees share their needs and demands, which serves as a more powerful base for positive cultures (Aboramadan & Kundi, 2023).

This level of technical and adaptive skills is evident in high-risk industries, where Safety matters the most. On the other hand, in such environments, employees are not only supposed to have technical knowledge that would facilitate the safe operation of the equipment but should also reveal responsiveness, practical problem-solving skills, and a proactive attitude toward hazard identification (Tamers et al., 2020). This acquaintance with the constructive relationship between technical knowledge and adaptable abilities creates a safe environment in demanding workplaces (Potgieter, 2021). On the other hand, an organization's leadership plays a crucial role in ensuring that all its staff adopt a safety culture. Followers with high adaptive qualities, including emotional intelligence and conflict resolution capabilities, make enormous contributions toward creating an efficient safety culture. When the employees observe such conduct, they perceive Safety as a value belonging to every member of the whole organization and thereby get motivated to do it themselves. Essentially, the effectiveness of leadership is one key element that can determine if safety initiatives will be so effective because leaders are directing an organization's sail toward safe waters (Dean & Student, 2020).

In technologically oriented fields, the continuing development of technical skills becomes very important for implementing and demonstrating new safety systems and approaches (Bilotta et al., 2021). Adaptiveness skills are essential for ensuring safety in today’s dynamic and unpredictable world. Individuals who can swiftly adjust to changing circumstances, think critically, and make informed decisions are better equipped to mitigate risks and avoid potential dangers. The ability to adapt does not only enhances personal safety but also fosters resilience and preparedness in the face of adversity. Employees' adaptiveness skills play a vital role in adapting to this constant change (Odeh et al., 2023). In addition, learning, unlearning, and relearning as adaptive skills also have the highest value since employees can learn new technology changes and safety procedures relatively quickly. This agility not only helps the organization protect itself from hazards that will follow but also enables it to confront future threats by boosting the performance of safety culture programs. The most apparent symbiosis between technical and adaptive skills is in organizations that embrace a holistic view of Safety. These two skills set work perfectly to create an organizational climate based on the values and culture that become very ingrained at a safety-conscious level (Badia, 2021). By connecting technical and adaptive skills, organizations can move toward a positive safety culture that is much more than just meeting the legal requirements; it also becomes an inseparable part of organizational identity (Blokland & Reniers, 2020). By synthesizing technical and behavioural competencies, companies can strive to create a safety culture that is not just about conforming to safety laws and regulations (Blokland & Reniers, 2020). Safety, however, is not only incorporated into organizational culture but also into behaviours, decisions, and attitudes toward risk management. On the one hand, technical expertise and adaptiveness become an essential aspect of safety culture; on the other hand, they empower the organization to go beyond the limits and achieve safety excellence.

The combination of technical and adaptive capacities creates an influential force that shapes the safety culture within an organization a lot (Junaid et al., 2023). Technical skills are the base of functional safety principles, while adaptive abilities promote accessible communication and cooperative teamwork that provide robust and prudent leadership, producing an influential culture. The highest degree of symbiosis is most conspicuous in high-risk industries, which again stresses an integrated safety approach (Boustras & Waring, 2020). Such organizations improve their operational functions and create a culture where Safety is essential to the organizational output. In the intricate landscape of safety culture, acknowledging that technical and adaptive skills are intertwined is important when organizations try to build a safer operation environment.