INROBOT

PROMETEO/2021/048

ABSTRACT AND GOALS

The introduction and implementation of robots in labor organizations during the last decades is an indisputable phenomenon that will show progressive growth in the coming years (IFR, 2019, 2020). Although there is general agreement that this phenomenon is influencing the content and characteristics of jobs, there is a scarcity of studies with quantitative methodology that investigate the influence that the phenomenon of robotization has on the characteristics of job positions. affected jobs, the work experiences of the employees who occupy them, and the outcomes associated with the performance of those jobs (for example, job satisfaction, well-being, and performance). Addressing this research gap is important for theoretical, practical, and ethical reasons. Therefore, the general objective of this research project is to determine the influence that the implementation of robots has in labor organizations (robotization) on the perception of the characteristics of the position (autonomy, variety, feedback on the position, identity, transcendence, and interaction with other members), the meaning of the job, and job outcomes (job satisfaction, well-being, performance, and absenteeism). In addition, it will be analyzed to what extent the impact of robotization depends on organizational factors (implementation strategy) and individual factors (gender, age, education, work, previous experience with robots and attitude towards robots).

To achieve these objectives, a longitudinal design will be developed in which data will be collected before and after the implementation of robots in companies. The study sample will consist of employees who work in companies that plan to implement robots for the first time during the first three years of the project, or companies that, if they have already implemented them in some departments, will extend them to others. The data obtained will be analyzed using methods based on latent change models. These methods will allow us to estimate the influence of robotization on the endogenous variables of our research model.

Taking into account: 1. The progressive and growing implementation of robots in companies (IFR, 2019), 2. The scarcity of studies that apply a quantitative methodology to estimate the impact of robotization on the variables considered, and 3. The scarcity theoretical models that help us understand the phenomenon addressed, we hope that the results derived from the project will have a high scientific impact. We also hope that the results of the project will have an important practical impact, because they will allow us to make recommendations on the most suitable introduction and implementation strategies for robots to facilitate their functional consequences and avoid and mitigate dysfunctional ones.

ACTIVITIES

- XIII Scientific Research Conference on Human Resources Psychology: Robotization, digitalization and the future of work

- XII Scientific Conference of Research in Human Resources Psychology: Robotization, digitalization and the future of work

• Conselleria d'Educació, Universitats i Ocupació. Generalitat Valenciana.