Does robotization affect job quality? Evidence from European regional labor markets

Area of Science:

• Labor Economics
• Sociology of Work
• Technology and Society

Background:

• Recent studies focus on robot adoption's economic effects (employment, wages).
• Limited research exists on robots' impact on non-monetary working conditions.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for holistic labor market analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of robot adoption on non-monetary working conditions in Europe.
• To analyze effects across dimensions like work intensity, physical environment, skills, and discretion.
• To provide empirical evidence on the quality of work in the age of automation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the World Robotics Survey and European Working Conditions Survey (1995-2005).
• Employed an instrumental variables strategy to address potential endogeneity of robot deployment.
• Used robot exposure by sector in other developed countries as an instrumental variable.

Main Results:

• Robotization was found to have a negative impact on work intensity.
• No significant impact was observed on the physical working environment.
• Robot adoption did not substantially affect skills and discretion in the workplace.

Conclusions:

• Robot adoption influences non-monetary working conditions, specifically increasing work intensity.
• The findings suggest a nuanced effect of automation on job quality, beyond economic metrics.
• Further research can explore long-term implications and mitigation strategies for negative impacts.