A survey of UK workers suggests that their quality of life is declining as they are increasingly exposed to new technologies such as wearables, robotics and AI at work.
The study, published by the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW), questioned thousands of workers to reach its conclusions, which it says have significant implications for policy, regulation and employers.
However, not all technology is negatively linked to happiness.
“The results showed that digital information and communication technologies were correlated with improved quality of life, while newer, more advanced technologies were correlated with decreased happiness.” [PDF] Say. These correlations hold across a variety of demographics and roles, “even after accounting for more influential factors,” the study said.
In other words, giving your employees access to computers, messaging tools, and other connected technologies gives them more freedom and flexibility to work, and makes them happier. Force us to wear smart devices, force us to introduce AI to our jobs, and vice versa.
This is not surprising, but as the report points out, this is the first time someone has bothered to actually do the work to triangulate worker well-being and exposure to technology. .
“Research and public policy tend to treat technology and well-being separately, focusing disproportionately on unemployment and employment,” the authors write in a summary abstract. [PDF]. “There has been less attention to how technology in the workplace is impacting the quality of work and the quality of life for workers.”
If you've been following recent news about cutting-edge business technologies like AI, IFOW's findings probably won't come as much of a surprise. After all, we've been reporting on the job threats posed by AI and the associated reports that the technology will bring. Millions of jobs will be regularly “increased” in the coming years.
Companies like IBM have even publicly stated that they intend to replace workers with AI. It's no wonder this technology is harming employee health. When employees hear that their boss harbors his AI ambitions or plans to monitor them more closely at work, it's natural for cortisol levels to spike.
Although this study did not investigate the cause of the negative correlation with exposure to new technology, previous research has demonstrated why AI, robotics, and employee monitoring technologies can be stressors. He said that it has been done.
“These technologies can exacerbate job insecurity, increased workload, loss of routine and meaning in work, and even disempowerment and loss of autonomy, all of which contribute to the overall well-being of employees. ”, the study states.
Good automation and bad automation
That doesn't mean new technology necessarily spells doom for employee well-being. It's all a matter of implementation.
Organizations with HR philosophies that prioritize employee well-being over productivity are positively correlated with quality of life, as are workplaces where employees feel their rights are respected at work. .
“The results of this study led to the hypothesis that the relationship between technology use and well-being may be mediated by a variety of factors, such as work-related abilities and job quality,” the authors concluded. I am. However, they note that such hypotheses require additional research and caution against using their results as a one-size-fits-all view of technology in the workplace.
Employers who don't want offices filled with miserable work should involve everyone affected by new technology in the implementation process and ensure they have the information they need to understand the role such technology will play in their work. must be accessible. The paper also points out that companies need to enact policies that encourage the adoption of advanced technology to prioritize the health of their employees.
“A future of ‘better automation’ is possible…but this will require concerted action and coordination across different sectors and domains,” the researchers said. ®
