Organizational Factors and Safety Culture in Retaining Professional Soldiers: Evidence from The Lithuanian Armed Forces

Linking safety culture and organizational behaviour with personnel sustainability this research examines the organizational factors influencing the retention of soldiers in professional military service within the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Retaining experienced and motivated personnel is a key determinant of military readiness and operational safety. The Lithuanian Army faces persistent challenges related to personnel turnover and decreasing commitment among professional soldiers, which may affect the stability and resilience of defence structures. The study aims to identify and model the organizational and psychosocial determinants that contribute to long-term retention in professional military service and to understand how these elements interact within the broader framework of military safety culture.
A quantitative research design was applied, using a structured questionnaire administered to professional soldiers from various units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The survey measured key dimensions such as work environment quality, professional development, organizational support, job satisfaction, and personal values. The reliability of the measurement scales was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.679 to 0.822 , indicating satisfactory internal consistency. The collected data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to explore the relationships among the identified constructs.
The findings reveal that soldiers' decisions to remain in service are strongly influenced by organizational climate, perceived leadership support, opportunities for professional growth, and alignment between individual values and institutional mission. A positive safety culture, characterized by trust, open communication, and shared responsibility, was found to significantly enhance both motivation and retention. The developed conceptual model demonstrates how organizational factors contribute to sustaining human reliability and operational effectiveness within military systems.

Keywords: Organizational factors, safety culture, professional military service, work environment, structural equation modelling.