Working with robots can lead to workplace burnout and workplace incivility

Working with robots can lead to workplace burnout and workplace incivility

Working with robots can contribute to job burnout and workplace incivility, but self-affirmation techniques could help ease fears of being replaced by these machines, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association.

Researchers found that workers in the U.S. and parts of Asia feel job insecurity from robots, even in industries that don't use robots, and that these fears may not be justified, said lead researcher Kai Chi Yam, PhD, an associate professor of management at the National University of Singapore.

Some economists believe robots are more likely to take over blue-collar jobs more quickly than white-collar workers. However, robots don't yet appear to be taking over that many jobs, at least not in the United States, so many of these fears are subjective.

Kai Chi Yam, PhD, Associate Professor of Management, National University of Singapore

Researchers conducted experiments and analyzed data from participants in the United States, Singapore, India and Taiwan. The study was published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

In an experiment with 118 engineers employed by an Indian automobile manufacturer, working with industrial robots was associated with higher reports of workplace burnout and incivility.

An online experiment with 400 participants found that self-affirmation exercises that encourage people to think positively about themselves and their uniquely human characteristics can help reduce fears about robots in the workplace. Participants wrote about qualities or values ​​that were important to them, such as friends and family, sense of humor, or sportsmanship.

“Most people overestimate the capabilities of robots and underestimate their own capabilities,” Yam said.

Fears of job insecurity caused by robots are widespread. The researchers analyzed data on the prevalence of robots in 185 U.S. metropolitan areas, as well as the overall usage of popular job placement sites in those areas (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.). Areas with the highest rates of robots also had the highest search rates on job recruiting sites, even though unemployment rates were not higher in those areas. The researchers theorized that people in these areas may have felt greater job insecurity because of robots, but there could also be other reasons, such as people looking for a new career or feeling dissatisfied with their current job.

Another experiment involved 343 parents of students at the National University of Singapore who were randomly assigned to three groups. One group read an article about the use of robots in businesses, the second group read a general article about robots, and the third read an unrelated article. Participants were then asked about their concerns about job insecurity, with the first group reporting significantly higher levels of job insecurity than the other two groups.

While some people may have legitimate concerns about losing their jobs to robots, media coverage could unnecessarily increase the general public's fears, Yam said.

“Media reports about new technologies such as robots and algorithms tend to be apocalyptic in nature, so people may develop an irrational fear of them,” he said.

Source:

American Psychological Association

Reference:

Yam, KC, et al. (2022) The rise of robots increases job insecurity and maladaptive behavior in the workplace: Multi-method evidence. Journal of Applied Psychology. doi.org/10.1037/apl0001045.

.