This week, I participated in a Stanford Forum Conversation on Responsible Leadership Skills featuring PG&E CEO Patti Poppe.  During the event, she highlighted the importance of cultivating an organization’s strong safety culture.  Often, I write about technology, Engineering, and Science skills, so this week’s study and research took me in a different direction, and I am very happy about that.  While it’s clear that safety skills are essential in industries with intensive fieldwork, such as utilities and mining, their relevance extends across all sectors.  Even seemingly benign misinformation about enterprise AI initiatives can pose significant safety threats in today’s business environment.  As such, HR leaders are urged to adopt a comprehensive safety perspective when evaluating all job roles.  We are currently at a pivotal juncture where the emphasis on safety skills is becoming increasingly prominent, even in knowledge-intensive positions.  This shift underscores the evolving nature of workplace safety, making it a universal priority.

I utilized the Gemini platform to trace the historical development of safety initiatives over time.  After several prompts, it provided a reasonably effective visualization.  Over the past half-century, safety skills have undergone significant evolution.  Although it took some time for these initiatives to gain momentum following the Industrial Revolution, it’s now possible to discern a clear hierarchy and progression in the safety measures implemented.  This historical perspective is crucial as it highlights how prioritizing safety has become increasingly structured and sophisticated, reflecting our growing understanding of workplace hazards and the methods to mitigate them.

The shift from ancient to modern industries has dramatically transformed safety focus, but AI and robotics are now ushering in new safety dimensions for knowledge workers.

Two weeks ago, I discussed how an energy company is working towards fully automating maintenance functions by deploying robots driven by the latest AI models.  This innovative approach is fascinating and indicates a shift in how HR departments must view their workforce—now considering both humans and machines as integral resources.  Safety skills remain at the core of this transformative journey.  As the integration of robotics becomes more prevalent, HR professionals may need basic robotics skills to effectively manage this new hybrid workforce, ensuring safety and efficiency in operations.  This development underscores the evolving role of HR in the era of advanced technology.

Here is a quick table of various skills in consideration.  Draup will further develop this and will publish a detailed report

Summary:  The swift growth of AI and robotics positions safety as a critical focus for enterprises. HR departments must prioritize integrating safety skills across knowledge-based roles to adapt to the expansion of AI. Additionally, HR professionals should prepare to acquire essential skills in robotics, which are becoming increasingly important for emergency preparedness.