Influence of Workplace Technology on Job Skill in selected Food and Beverage Firms in Lagos, Nigeria

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This study investigated the influence of workplace technology on job skills among employees of the food and beverage industry in Lagos, Nigeria, using the Labour Process Theory. Data were collected through questionnaire administered to 447 respondents who are working at two food and beverage companies in Lagos and in-depth interviews with 38 Units' Heads. Burawoy's classification of technological levels into low, medium, and high was adopted. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and One-way ANOVA, while qualitative data were analyzed with content analysis. The results indicated that workplace technology had different influence on job skills across the three technological level units and was statistically significant in Firm A. Technological transition led to decreased job skills, particularly when moving from low-speed line to high-speed line and Information and Technology-support equipment. The evolution of food and beverage analyzers from manual to semi-automation and full-automation also decreased job skills. Workplace technology had negative influence on job skills in both Firm A and Firm B. Therefore, capacity-building programs should be implemented by enterprise owners to help workers adapt to the emerging challenges posed by workplace technology shaping the activities of firms. Organisations’ management should ensure adequate human capital development for employees to adapt to the emerging technological trend and make proper use of the equipment adopted by organizations. Overall, developing one's skills is a solution to prevent technology from causing a decline in skills because people possessing creativity, inventiveness, imagination, innovation, and ambidexterity are not affected by technological advancements in the post-Fordist era.