Digital Transformation Of Work Research Articles

Digital transformation of work: Swiss MSEs working from home behaviour during COVID-19 – pioneers leading the pack

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to better understand technology adoption and working from home (WFH) behaviour of micro and small enterprises (MSE) with 4 to 49 employees during the first (2020) and second (2021) COVID-19 lockdowns in Switzerland.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses two data sets gathered using computer-assisted telephone interviewing surveys conducted with 503 managing directors of Swiss MSEs after the first and 506 MDs after the second COVID-19 lockdown period.FindingsThe study revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, WFH arrangements are related to the adoption of technology by Swiss industry groups. Furthermore, industry characteristics and technology adoption strategies are also associated with the long-term prospect of WFH. The overall result confirms the predominant role of technology pioneers.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focuses on MSEs in Switzerland during a specific period. The data set includes mainly quantitative data. Future studies could investigate larger enterprises in international contexts, integrating employees’ viewpoints founded on long-term gathered qualitative data. The implications of this study include predictions about future WFH behaviour in Swiss MSEs.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study collecting data in Swiss MSEs after the two COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. As a result, this study offers a unique perspective on a specific business segment, which accounts for around 70% of global employment.

Criteria and Guidelines for Human-Centered Work Design in a Digitally Transformed World of Work: Findings from a Formal Consensus Process

With the increasing digital transformation, work tasks are changing-in some cases, significantly. Our study addresses the question of whether the established criteria for work design are still sufficient or if they should get updated and additional criteria become necessary in the context of digitalization. In a multistage consensus process involving interdisciplinary groups of experts, we have identified specific criteria for the humane design of work in a world increasingly permeated by digitalized work tools. Starting with an expert workshop using a combined nominal group/focus group technique, followed by a real-time Delphi study, a content analysis and a five-stage peer comment process, we detected 13 criteria and 38 design guidelines for human-centered work in digital transformation. Mapping these with established criteria, it became apparent that some established criteria have experienced a new dynamic because of the digital transformation. For other criteria, a need for digitization-sensitive design is discernible. In addition, criteria have emerged whose necessity is rooted in the digital transformation. A diffusion and stronger interconnection of the various levels of the work system in connection with the digital transformation of work is apparent.

Post COVID-19 pandemic possible business continuity strategies for construction industry revival a preliminary study in the Malaysian construction industry

PurposeCOVID-19 pandemic has unprecedentedly shattered the entire world economy and development. Without exclusion, the construction industry has undergone very extreme disruption. Many projects have been suspended, many employees lost their jobs and many construction companies bankrupted. This study aims to explore the possible business continuity plans, a roadmap to recovery and strategies to revive the construction industry after COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachMix mode method approach was used to address the research problem, and that includes interviews with 16 selected construction experts who have been working in the Malaysian industry for more than 10 years and a questionnaire with 187 construction practitioners. The aim of conducting the interviews is to get an insight into the current impact of the pandemic on the construction industry, and the questionnaire aims to statistically rank the importance of revival strategies using a Likert-type scale. Further, the data were analysed using a univariate approach by calculating the relative importance index to assess the importance of each strategy.FindingsThe findings showed that the pandemic has severely affected the Malaysian construction industry in many aspects and effective restoration strategies are necessary to cope with the changes. The strategies were categorized into four different aspects includes health and practice, technology, operational, legal and governmental strategies. The finding shows that the topmost ranked strategy in terms of importance is introducing COVID-compliant operating procedures and protocols on-site by adjusting current working procedures, urgent government stimuli (loan, financial aid to the affected firms) and other financial incentives, leveraging digital and online technology for virtual meeting and communication, comprehensive and revision study of the health guidelines to suit construction activities and digital transformation of work. The study suggests a more in-depth study to evaluate the impact and assess the success of strategies for the betterment of the future of the Malaysian construction industry.Practical implicationsThe study presented a better understanding of the possible business continuity strategies for construction industry revival, which are important for decision makers and the government to reconsider for the revival of the industry. The findings also are of interest to the construction stakeholders.Originality/valueThere have been many research addressing the impact of the pandemic on the construction industry, but less are available on the possible strategies for continual and revival of construction industry amid and after the pandemic. It is, therefore, crucial to address this topic, especially the assessment of these strategies based on their importance.

The European Framework Agreement on Digitalisation: a tough coexistence within the EU mosaic of actions

Digital transformation of work is an unstoppable phenomenon, and a “multifaceted topic”. Platform and remote work and data manipulation are only aspects of the whole picture, creating new challenges for public stakeholders. The more the world of work changes, the more industrial relations are stimulated to cope with it. With this aim, European social partners have responded to the impact of digitalization on the labour market, with the adoption of the “European framework agreement on digitalization” (EFAD). Although the EFAD is fully in line with the European involvement in granting rights to workers involved in the digital transformation of the labour market, many questions are still on the table. There are many concerns about the integration of the EFAD within the mosaic of actions at EU level with regards to the digitalisation and automation at the workplace. A difficult integration that raises doubts about the effective implementation of the EFAD at national level and even about the role and the maneuvering space granted to European Social Partners in this field.

'Festina Lente’: The ILO and EU Agendas on the Digital Transformation of Work

This article compares the International Labour Organization (ILO) and European Union (EU) agendas concerning the digital transformation of work, and addresses possible policy gaps and their implications for international and EU labour law. It critically reviews the current social acquis of both institutions and concentrates on the key analogies between the ILO’s Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and some of the various regulatory initiatives taken by EU institutions in the context of the Pillar of Social Rights. The article finds that, despite the often articulated calls for urgent and original measures, both institutions’ programmes present largely a prudent continuation of traditional narratives, failing to strengthen the adequacy of existing labour regulation regimes. Besides their predominantly non-binding nature, the efficacy of the most future-oriented instruments is profoundly undermined by the unreasonable exclusion of those workers who bear most of the brunt of social disparities accelerated by digitalization and casualization of work. In addition, the implementation of these initiatives may be jeopardized by complex governance methods and unresolved tensions between conflicting approaches and objectives. The study concludes that, although positive signs are emerging in the supranational legal order, much remains to be done to address the multifarious challenges arising from the digital transformation. International Labour Organization, European Union, European Social Law, Digital Transformation, Platform Work, Social Policy, Future of Work, Labour Regulation

The digital transformation of work is here – how scientists and practitioners can work together to manage needed workplace changes

Organizations across Europe are reinventing their structures and processes in the quest to become more “agile”. To facilitate these changes methods like “Design thinking”, “Bar Camps” or “Working out loud” are becoming mainstream, no longer only used in hip start-ups and communication agencies. Traditional working environments, typically associated with rules, routines, and regulations are now transformed into open (co-working) spaces. Something big is going on and we wanted to find out about it by holding an interactive discussion. In this panel discussion we invited scientists and practitioners to engage in a conversation about future directions of Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) with the aim of keeping education, research and practice relevant to contemporary working practices. We want to look into the current state of co-operation and cocreation within WOP and examine what needs to change and how this will be achieved. Together, we would like to figure out how research can support practitioners in their work with organizations and how to manage the digital transformation. As part of the scientist – practitioner collaborative stream (that has become known as Co-op Friday) this panel discussion compliments the conference theme of Working for the Greater Good by looking into future directions of organizational development and how to use evidence-based practices to help individuals to adapt to change. The aim of the session was to have an active debate between panelists and the audience generating ideas and activities to improve co-operation. We used an innovative process method called “Bar Camp” to encourage presentation and review. This resulted in interactive discussions with panel members and participants working in small groups (see Figure 1) discussing particular issues (see further detail in the following report). Each discussion session was followed by a brief summary that was shared across the groups.

The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the digital transformation of work

PurposeThis study investigates whether the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an acceleration of the digital transformation in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on a survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic from March to April 2020 on the crowdsourcing platform Amazon Mechanical Turk.FindingsThe findings show an increase of people working from home offices and that many people believe that digital transformation of work has accelerated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. People who noted this acceleration can imagine working digitally exclusively in the future. Moreover, the importance of traditional jobs as a secure source of income has decreased, and digital forms of work as a secure source of income have increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers believe that digital work will play a more important role as a secure source of income in the future than traditional jobs.Research limitations/implicationsBecause the survey was conducted online, respondents may have had a certain affinity for digital work.Originality/valueThis study assesses the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of work, showing that changes in the perception of digital transformation and the willingness to work exclusively in a digital manner have arisen as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To estimate the long-term consequences of the pandemic on the digitisation of work, research that includes macroeconomic consequences in its forecast is necessary.

Digital transformation of work and ESG: Perspectives on monopoly and fair trade

The purpose of this paper is to understand why unemployment improvement and social inequality occur at the same time. For this question, a key factor is the capitalisation of work-related social security, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) resulting from digital transformation (DX). This paper will discuss two crucial points of the capitalisation of social security. Firstly it is the shareholder value, and then sustainable investment such as ESG. Shareholder value is a matter of stock price and corporate management. Nowadays, the stock price of tech giants, such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon (GAFA) is skyrocketing. It has a significant impact on general corporate management just like the dot-com bubble in the ’90s. Sustainable investment offers the modification of shareholder value. The sustainable investment performances of non-ethical companies and ESG (blue-chips) were investigated during the period of Lehman and the COVID-19 crisis. However, in the real sense, investment performance is not a fundamental solution to problems associated with monopolies, disparities and the environment. In particular, the monopoly situation is related to Azar’s common ownership (Azar, Schmalz, & Tecu, 2017). As such, it will be essential for trade unions, who function as pension managers, to address these problems as a countervailing power (Galbraith, 1952).

‘Festina Lente’: The ILO and EU Agendas on the Digital Transformation of Work

This article compares the International Labour Organization (ILO) and European Union (EU) agendas concerning the digital transformation of work, and addresses possible policy gaps and their implications for international and EU labour law. It critically reviews the current social acquis of both institutions and concentrates on the key analogies between the ILO’s Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work and some of the various regulatory initiatives taken by EU institutions in the context of the Pillar of Social Rights. The article finds that, despite the often articulated calls for urgent and original measures, both institutions’ programs present largely a prudent continuation of traditional narratives, failing to strengthen the adequacy of existing labour regulation regimes. Besides their predominantly non-binding nature, the efficacy of the most future-oriented instruments is profoundly undermined by the unreasonable exclusion of those workers who bear most of the brunt of social disparities accelerated by digitization and casualization of work. Also, the implementation of these initiatives may be jeopardized by complex governance methods and never soothed tensions between conflicting approaches and objectives. The study concludes that, although positive signs are emerging in the supranational legal order, much remains to be done to address the multifarious challenges brought about by the digital transformation.

Facing the Challenges of Platform-Mediated Labour: The Employment Relationship in Times of Non-Standard Work and Digital Transformation

This dissertation focuses on digital platforms and apps connecting pools of workers, employers and clients instantaneously. These working arrangements call into question the suitability and effectiveness of the current employment legislation. The emerging literature reveals pervasive commands, reinforced surveillance, constant monitoring, arbitrary disciplinary action and very little or no workers’ discretion in deciding how to complete a task. Standard methods of social science research and legal analysis are applied in the investigation, accompanied by a strong interdisciplinary approach. With a law-in-context methodology, this study revolves around four main sections, each of them looking at platform-mediated work from a particular angle. After describing the theoretical antecedents of hierarchical outsourcing and relational contracts, Section 1 contributes to the literature on the “nature” of the “non-standard firm” by applying the economic analysis of transaction costs. Building on models on the disarticulation of the employing entity and the pulverisation of work-related responsibilities, this chapter conceptualises the prototypical business model of these new economic and social actors. The expression “Cerberus firm” is used to define a network company built as an online middleman that reduces information asymmetries, minimises organisational costs and engages a pool of providers (virtually recruited, effectively directed and persistently disciplined) through rapid transactions on the market with an authoritative attitude. Section 2 carries out a critical scrutiny of two myths: technological displacement and the crisis of the standard employment relationship. This assessment also requires looking into the contractual arrangements. The typologies of employment generated by the on-demand economy are part of a broader class of non-standard forms of work emerging from digitalisation. These organisational patterns manifestly exclude workers from employment protections and social security benefits. Accordingly, a picture of the spread of precarious employment is drawn, by taking into account as many alternative working formats as possible including self-employment work, economically dependent self-employment and disguised employment relationship. This review concludes by representing the employment relationship as a resilient and flexible tool, capable of adapting to the incessantly changing nature of production systems. Section 3 maps a kaleidoscopic array of app-distributed arrangements, clustering the findings into three main subsets (passenger transport services, professional crowdsourcing, on-demand work at the client’s premises). In doing so, the relationship between a worker and the platform is assessed along five main critical stages of the process, starting with the registration and ending with the payment. Several initiatives aimed at promoting fair and decent work in the collaborative economy are scrutinised, namely (i) the European Commission’s Communication 356/2016, (ii) the principles enshrined in the European Pillar of Social Rights, and (iii) the ruling by the European Court of Justice on the nature of the service provided by Uber. Furthermore, existing regulatory schemes, ranging from the Directives on atypical employment to other casual work templates, are assessed to test their resilience against this background. Section 4 investigates the legal status of platform-coordinated workers by considering what is at stake in pending litigations. In the end, this dissertation intends to “normalise” the discourses surrounding the digital transformation of work, by also contrasting the sense that new realities of work have outgrown legal concepts. This thesis argues that, before exploring captivating hypotheses for reforms, lawyers and scholars must seek to square this fast-evolving phenomenon with the existing legal framework. There is indeed the need for a balance between safeguarding social rights and unleashing authentic societal improvements. Several available legal notions and tools, which can adequately address this challenge, are discussed with a view of advancing a tentative regulative framework of platform-mediated labour.