Making Meaning from the Digitalization of Blue-Collar Work

Abstract

With rapid advances in computing, we are beginning to see the expansion of technology into domains far afield from traditional office settings historically at the center of CSCW research. Manufacturing is one industry undergoing a new phase of digital transformation. Shop-floor workers are being equipped with tools to deliver efficiency and support data-driven decision making. To understand how these kinds of technologies are affecting the nature of work, we conducted a 15-month qualitative study of the digitalization of the shipping and receiving department at a small manufacturer located in the Southeastern United States. Our findings provide an in-depth understanding of how the norms and values of factory floor workers shape their perception and adoption of computing services designed to augment their work. We highlight how emerging technologies are creating a new class of hybrid workers and point to the social and human elements that need to be considered to preserve meaningful work for blue-collar professionals.