Automation of Jobs and Tasks

Topic Information:

With the rise of automation, there is concern jobs will be eliminated. However, according to a 2018 paper, automation will take place on a task-by-task basis, making it unlikely automation will eliminate entire jobs. Automation will reshape jobs by impacting the specific tasks of the job. This puts emphasis on creating a flexible workforce, one that can adapt and learn new skills to remain relevant in a working world where tasks have been automated. As jobs change, I-O psychologists working in job specific specialties such as selection, training, and compensation can help leaders ensure jobs are clearly defined including their automated processes.

DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS

Provide a 550-word summary (formatted according to APA guidelines) of the new research in this area from a minimum of five peer reviewed journal articles from (2018-2021) and identify questions that need exploring in future research.

Your discussion should be organized in a three-paragraph format:

Introductory Paragraph: gives an overview and definition of the topic you chose. At the end of the paragraph it gives an idea of how your forum is organized.

Current Trends Paragraph: In this paragraph, you will discuss the themes that you found in the research from the 5 articles related to your topic. This paragraph should be a synthesis of the research and not just a listing of annotated summaries.

Future Research Paragraph: In this paragraph, you will discuss areas of future research by referencing the 5 articles that you identified. The future research areas should be based on the findings of the authors of those articles rather than general ideas you may have.

*A reference section should then be included at the end of your discussion.

ANSWER

Automation of Jobs and Tasks

Introduction

As the world experiences an alarming growth rate of technologies, job automation has become a common process in the workplace. Most of the tasks handled by humans are being replaced with the use of machines. This has raised concern among some of the workers due to the risk of losing their jobs. However, automation is expected to reshape some jobs, unlike the assumption that it will eliminate all jobs. It calls for workers to adjust to the emerging trends. Amidst this lies fear and anxiety of losing jobs currently and in the future due to the automation process. This calls for corporate leaders to ensure that they train and educate their workers about the automation change to accept and accommodate emerging changes.

Current Trends

The key theme that emerges from these articles is fear and anxiety associated with technological employment. The majority of workers fear that as technologies grow and advance, there is a high risk of losing their jobs. Smids, Nyholm, and Berkers (2020) state that the fear of technological employment replacing human workers has received significant attention. This fear is linked to a threat to people’s meaningful lives. The loss of jobs would mean the inability to cater to their needs. As for the workers who are not directly affected by automation, there is also the fear of these technologies replacing their tasks in the future. As statistics show, 40% of employees fear their tasks will be replaced by smart machines in the coming years (Schwabe & Castellacci, 2020). This affects their job satisfaction and motivation. The articles also generate the theme of training and education for the workers to understand and accommodate emerging automation changes. Robots and other technological machines advance operations in the workplace. There is a dire need to ensure that employees understand that these technologies can collaborate better (Dahlin, 2019). This translates to employee awareness to usher in the new automation space. Rodriguez-Bustelo, Batista-Foguet, and Servalo (2020) reveal that learning how aware the workers are prepared to handle the changes helps leaders initiate correct measures that protect individual employers and the organization. Lastly, the theme relating to the partial elimination of jobs comes out strong. Vermuelen et al. (2018) highlight that automation in “applying” sectors is often balanced by the creation of jobs in the “making” sector. This shows that automation does not occur to eliminate all jobs in the workplace.

Future Research

Further research is needed to focus on the perception of the top leadership level on the automation process. As Rodriguez-Bustelo, Batista-Foguet, and Serlavós (2020) state, this will offer suitable guidance to accommodate the changing future of work. Another major area of focus is assessing the instruments likely to accelerate structural change efficiency in the workplace (Vermeulen et al., 2018). This will enable organizational leaders to introduce automation processes appropriately. Notably, Dahlin (2019) recommends advanced research on the complex relationship between technology and employment to enable stakeholders to understand the workforce’s tasks. This will position them in a better place to make effective automation decisions. Schwabe and Castellacci (2020) reveal that advanced research is needed to examine of the fear linked to the introduction of intelligent machines is exaggerated or based on established knowledge. Lastly, Smids, Nyholm, and Berkers (2020) argue that empirical case studies should be undertaken to assess the impact of robotization in the workplace.

References

Dahlin, E. (2019). Are robots stealing our jobs? Socius: Sociological research for a dynamic world. 5, 2378023119846249. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023119846249

Rodriguez-Bustelo, C., Batista-Foguet, J. M., & Serlavós, R. (2020). Debating the future of work: The perception and reaction of the Spanish workforce to digitization and automation technologies. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1965. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01965

Schwabe, H., & Castellacci, F. (2020). Automation, workers’ skills and job satisfaction. Plos one, 15(11), e0242929. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242929

Smids, J., Nyholm, S., & Berkers, H. (2020). Robots in the Workplace: a Threat to—or Opportunity for—Meaningful Work? Philosophy & Technology, 33(3), 503-522.

Vermeulen, B., Kesselhut, J., Pyka, A., & Saviotti, P. P. (2018). The impact of automation on employment: just the usual structural change? Sustainability, 10(5), 1661.