Just another cog in the machine? A worker‐level view of robotization and tasks

Bibliographic Data

ID9728278
AuthorsM Nikolova (0000-0002-3247-760X, University of Groningen, Brookings Institution, IZA and GLO, corresponding author), Anthony Lepinteur (0000-0002-5929-8628, University of Luxembourg, IZA and GLO), Femke Cnossen (0000-0002-6578-9204, University of Groningen and GLO)
Year2025
Volume92
Issue368
Pages1101-1148
Publication date2025-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEconomica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-0427 • E-ISSN: 1468-0335
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ecca.70006
OpenAlexW4413223522
LanguageEN
References cited67

Technological change has led to a decline in the share of routine and physical jobs, and a rise in the share of abstract and social ones at the economy level. However, much less is known about how these trends unfold at the individual level. Do workers' tasks become more or less routine and physical? Do workers shift towards more social and abstract activities? This paper is the first to explore these questions in the context of robotization. We use survey data from 20 European countries to develop worker‐level indices of physical, routine, abstract and social tasks, which we link to industry‐level robotization exposure. Using instrumental variable techniques, we find that robotization reduces physically demanding tasks but increases routine tasks, while also limiting opportunities for cognitively challenging work and human interaction. This study provides a worker‐centric perspective on the relationship between technology and task composition, revealing insights that aggregate analyses miss

Cog · Context (archaeology) · Economics · Limiting · Management · Perspective (graphical) · Task (project management) · Work (physics) · Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science · Digital Economy and Work Transformation · Employment and Welfare Studies · Engineering · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Psychology

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