Kan technologie bijdragen aan het verminderen van personeelskrapte? [Can technology help to address personnel shortages?]
article
The Dutch labor market is facing personnel shortages, putting pressure on both the economy and society. New technologies are often cited as solutions to mitigate this shortage, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and augmented reality. This study explores how employees’ experiences with these new technologies (hindrance appraisals) and job characteristics such as autonomy and task identity (work design) contribute to their innovation, learning, and career initiatives—crucial factors for the successful adoption of technological innovations. Analyses over three datasets —the Employers Working Conditions Survey (WEA), the National Working Conditions Survey (NEA), and a follow-up of the NEA— reveal that hindrance appraisals of the technology are negatively associated with employees’ innovation, learning, and career initiatives. This effect differs between labor-reducing technologies (e.g., robotics) and labor-supporting technologies (e.g., wearables). Job characteristics such as autonomy and feedback from work, however, are positively associated with employees’ innovation, learning and career initiatives and can mitigate the negative relationship between hindrance appraisals and these initiatives. Taken together, this study suggests that well-designed work can motivate employees to learn and innovate, and therewith optimize the potential of technological innovations in reducing personnel shortages.
Topics
TNO Identifier
1018018
Source
Tijdschrift voor Arbeidsvraagstukken, 141(3), pp. 318-343.
Pages
318-343