Anticipating and managing the impact of change

Digitisation in the workplace

Report
Published
25 October 2021
pdf
Formats and languages
Executive summary in 22 languages
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Author(s): 
Riso, Sara

Key findings

  • The presence of innovation clusters that support innovation is an important enabling factor for the implementation of digitisation in the workplace. Good practices that highlight the business case and raise awareness about the opportunities that digitisation technologies can provide are critical to the higher uptake of new technologies.
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  • The presence of innovation clusters that support innovation is an important enabling factor for the implementation of digitisation in the workplace. Good practices that highlight the business case and raise awareness about the opportunities that digitisation technologies can provide are critical to the higher uptake of new technologies.
  • The area in work most impacted by new technologies is task definition and content, with the Internet of Things (IoT) putting a greater emphasis on managerial and analytical tasks, 3D printing reducing physically demanding tasks, and virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) either enriching or simplifying existing tasks. This drives the upgrading of skills and a rise in job discretion, mainly among managerial and engineering professionals, and less so for lower skilled and blue-collar workers. Public support in the form of funding, incentives and advice can help companies and smaller businesses with fewer resources to identify skills gaps and assist with measures to meet the skills required for digitisation technologies.
  • Management decisions play an important role in how digitisation technologies impact on work organisation and job quality. A digitisation strategy with a phased approach, based on experimentation and piloting underpinned by a high level of employee involvement in the innovation process, can contribute to more positive outcomes for both workers and organisations.
  • Social dialogue plays a critical role in digitisation at the workplace at many different levels. At company level, a digitisation approach that disregards employee participation and engagement will amplify negative impacts on working conditions. In the context of technological change, social dialogue also encourages greater acceptance by employees of new technologies.
  • IoT is the most pervasive of the three technologies examined, raising the greatest concerns when used for employee performance monitoring and requiring greater safeguards to protect workers’ fundamental rights. At European level, one avenue to address the issue of employee monitoring can be the EU social partners’ negotiation of a specific framework agreement on the collection and use of personal data in the employment context.
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Abstract

Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of potential job losses and negative disruption brought about by digital technologies has permeated the Read more

Research into the transformative potential of the digital revolution tends to take a quantitative approach in an attempt to monitor changes in employment levels due to digitalisation. The fear of potential job losses and negative disruption brought about by digital technologies has permeated the policy debate on digitalisation. In contrast, this report, based on case study research, takes a more qualitative approach to exploring the impact of selected digital technologies (internet of things, 3D printing, and virtual and augmented reality) in the workplace. While digital technologies can bring many opportunities and have been shown to be beneficial for both workers and organisations, there is a need to put safeguards in place to ensure employee data protection and privacy. A well-functioning social dialogue is also key to reaping the benefits of digital technologies and preventing – or minimising – any negative outcomes.

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Formats and languages

  • Report

    Number of pages: 
    72
    Reference no.: 
    EF21001
    ISBN: 
    978-92-897-2207-0
    Catalogue no.: 
    TJ-09-21-427-EN-N
    DOI: 
    10.2806/806842
    Permalink: 
    eurofound.link/ef21001
    Catalogue info

    Digitisation in the workplace

    Author(s): 
    Riso, Sara
    Topics: 
    Working conditions; Work organisation; Anticipating and managing the impact of change; Digitalisation; Just Transition; Industrial policy; Job quality

    Formats

    Cite this publication: 

    Eurofound (2021), Digitisation in the workplace, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

  • Executive summary

    Reference no.: 
    EF21001EN1
    Catalogue info

    Digitisation in the workplace

    Author(s): 
    Eurofound

    Available for download in 22 languages

    Download

  • Tables and graphs

    The report contains the following tables and graphs.

    List of tables

    Table 1: Definitions of digitisation technologies
    Table 2: Overview of the digitisation case studies
    Table 3: Most relevant sectors for technology uptake and use cases
    Table 4: Drivers of and barriers to the adoption of digitisation technologies
    Table 5: Overview of approaches to digitisation across the establishments investigated
    Table 6: Areas of work organisation most impacted by the use of digitisation technologies
    Table 7: Elements of job quality impacted by the use of digitisation technologies
    Table 8: Specific impacts of digitisation technologies on skills and discretion

    List of figures

    Figure 1: Analytical model for digital technologies
    Figure 2: Adoption by enterprises of IoT and 3D printing by size and sector, EU27, 2020 (%)
    Figure 3: Advanced technology use by enterprises (with at least 10 employees) by country, EU27, 2020 (%)
    Figure 4: Distribution of IoT clusters in Europe, 2019
    Figure 5: Key elements for successful technology implementation
     

Research carried out prior to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020, and published subsequently, may include data relating to the 28 EU Member States. Following this date, research only takes into account the 27 EU Member States (EU28 minus the UK), unless specified otherwise.

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