Introduction
Knowledge workers are increasingly exposed to psychosocial and digital risks, requiring targeted prevention strategies. Secondary-level interventions, such as risk training, play a key role in building resilience and competencies in diverse occupational groups (LaMontagne et al., 2007; Nielsen & Noblet, 2018).


Purpose
This study analyzes how workers in leadership and non-leadership roles evaluate risk training and compares knowledge workers with front-line workers, while exploring associations with safety motivation and innovative work behavior.


Method
The sample included 670 participants from three large Colombian organizations in the service, production, and construction sectors. In the service and production organizations, the focus was on knowledge workers (n = 481), comparing leaders (n = 143) and non-leaders (n = 338). In the construction company, the analysis centered on occupational roles, contrasting knowledge workers (n = 93) with front-line workers (n = 96). Training was evaluated with the Feedback Instrument for Rescue forces Education (FIRE; Thielsch & Hadzihalilovic, 2020), which measures trainers' behavior, structure, group dynamics, overextension, competence acquisition, and transfer. Additional measures included Personal Motivation for Safety Climate (Williamson et al., 1997) and Innovative Work Behavior (De Jong & Den Hartog, 2010).


Results
Leaders reported more favorable perceptions of training structure and competence acquisition than non-leaders. Across sectors, knowledge workers evaluated training more positively than front-line workers. Significant positive correlations were also observed between FIRE dimensions, safety motivation, and innovative behavior.


Conclusions
Perceptions of risk training vary by role and occupational profile. Knowledge workers consistently rated training more positively than front-line workers, and leaders evaluated it more favorably than non-leaders. These findings are indicative of the importance of advacing tailored programs to these distinct groups to enhance competence development, safety engagement, and innovation.