Future Labor Research Articles

Mapping Knowledge Domains of Digital Labor Research: Current Status, Hotspot and Frontier

With the rapid development of digital technology, the mode of production has been transformed into digitalization, virtualization and technologization. The labor has been changed from the real world to the virtual digital world, and digital labor has become an important part of the labor form in modern society. According to bibliometrics and Mapping Knowledge Domains, this study aims to reveal the research status, hot spots and future development trends in the field of digital labor. Based on this, this study takes the relevant core literature from 1990-2023 includes Web of Science Core Collection and Chinese CNKI as the database, and uses CiteSpace visualization software to conduct comparative analysis. The results of this study show that: the number of publications on digital labor in China is lagging behind that of the international community; the research on digital labor in China started late, and the influence of the literature is weaker than that of the international community; the growth rate of relevant literature in Chinese is faster, and the distribution of disciplines is concentrated, while the literature in English is increasing year by year and is relatively stable, and the distribution of disciplines is wide; there is a partial overlap between Chinese and international digital labor research hotspots, with digital labor being studied under the perspectives of computer science, communication studies, education, and so on; Chinese research still focuses on general theoretical discussions, while international research has been widely conducted in the fields of social media, deep learning, digital labor education, artificial intelligence, computer science and information systems. This study not only provides a theoretical perspective for understanding the interaction between digital technologies and labor, but also offers new perspectives for future research and labor education to address the challenges of digital transformation.

How ChatGPT shapes the future labour market situation of software engineers: A Finnish Delphi study

ChatGPT is changing our working lives, conjuring visions of revolutionary shifts ahead. ChatGPT is a chatbot based on generative artificial intelligence, which can, e.g., write computer code. This article explores how it might shape the future labour market situation of software engineers. A Delphi study with 14 experts was conducted in Finland. The first round identified possible futures, and the second round assessed their probabilities. Five scenarios prevailed: the unlikely scenario that the status quo persists; the ambivalent scenario that ChatGPT can replace software engineers to a large extent; the likely scenario that computer departments in startups embrace ChatGPT; the likely scenario that ChatGPT use proliferates among software engineers to increase productivity; and the highly likely scenario that ChatGPT makes computer programming accessible to the masses. Findings contradict previous discussions that technological advancements might take over especially routine tasks. ChatGPT can also take over non-routine tasks. Moreover, findings underline that digitalisation does not only bring about a choice between upskilling and employability loss, but also a democratisation of knowledge and expertise. Software engineers and companies might use the findings as an impetus for upskilling, while universities might feel nudged to incorporate ChatGPT more strongly into their curricula.

Developing soft skills in the business classrooms of industrial engineering students in Brazil

PurposeIn today’s highly competitive global business environment, there is a growing demand for professionals who possess well-developed soft skills. Such abilities include flexibility, effective communication and other skills. Soft skills are personal attributes and qualities that are more closely related to the emotional side of human beings. Individuals must cultivate and hone soft skills during their undergraduate studies. These skills, also known as interpersonal or non-technical skills, are essential to complement hard skills and pave the way for a thriving career trajectory. Soft skills are developed over the course of one’s career and are indispensable in establishing a strong, professional presence in the corporate or academic realm. The field of engineering is no exception in this regard, and the business approach during the engineering course is of significant relevance. By acquiring soft skills, engineering graduates will become competitive and adaptable professionals capable of handling the current and future challenges of the job market. The purpose of this study is to investigate the soft skills that students perceive as being better developed during their business classrooms in the engineering course and identify areas for improvement in the business education process.Design/methodology/approachThe research method consisted in four different phases from variables identification to statistical analyses. Then, as part of this approach a structured questionnaire was administered at the end of the engineering course, where students rated their perception of the degree of development of each of the soft skills covered in the course on a scale of zero to ten. The collected data were analysed using multivariate analysis techniques, including factorial analysis.FindingsThe results of the study demonstrate that the set of skills acquired by individuals in business classrooms pursuing a degree in industrial engineering is in high demand by potential employers. Such skills are deemed essential for the successful operation of businesses in modern-day industries. The findings of this research validate the significant role that industrial engineering students play in fulfilling the requirements of the job market and pave the way to meaningful insights on how to approach this topic during the business education process in engineering courses.Practical implicationsThe findings bring about significant insights for national educational councils and ministries, universities and educational stakeholders in the process of updating, rethinking and implementing new curricula criteria in higher education, particularly in the Latin American context.Originality/valueThis paper enriches the literature by assessing the development of soft skills of engineering students in the Latin American context. The research reinforces the importance of developing soft skills aligned with those required for the context of current and future labour markets.

The bottom 20 percent: early career paths of youth with low grade point average

AbstractAcross nations, large proportions of younger birth cohorts obtain no professional qualifications. Using rich administrative data from Denmark and a semi‐structural dynamic approach, we analyze different policies targeted towards young people who leave grade 9 with a grade point average in the bottom quintile. We find that preparatory courses, offered to students who are unable to commence a qualifying degree, have no positive impact on future labor market outcomes. Further, unobserved heterogeneity is more important for this group than are cognitive skills. Our results show that education is a good option for many, but not for all.

Associations between precarious employment trajectories and mental health among older workers in Germany: Vertical and horizontal inequalities.

The aim of the study was to investigate the longitudinal association between multi-dimensionally measured precarious employment (PE) trajectories and mental health among older employees in Germany. Current data from the German lidA study was used, including panel cases, who participated in all four survey waves (2011, 2014, 2018, 2022). The study comprised 1636 subjects, aged 46 and 52 years at baseline. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to model PE trajectories based on a score combining multiple items from the dimensions employment insecurity and income inadequacy. The association between PE trajectories (2011-2022) and mental health (2022) was tested using weighted logistic regression. We identified a PE trajectory with upward movement that best described 13.6% of the study sample. Representation in this group was socially unequally distributed with noticeably larger shares of female, lower-educated and lower-skilled workers in PE. Women following this trajectory had increased odds [odds ratio (OR) 1.68-1.82] of reporting poor mental health in 2022 compared to their counterparts in constant non-PE. This was not the case for men (OR 0.37-0.51). Our findings highlight horizontal and vertical inequalities with respect to exposure to and consequences of PE. Future labor market reforms should improve protection of women, who will likely be disadvantaged by accumulating employment-related mental health risks over the course of their lives.

Fostering Innovative Learning and Satisfaction in Virtual Teamwork: Shedding Light on Apprentices

Purpose: The digital transformation and the increased use of technologies have changed the world of work severely. With it, collaboration and cooperation methods among employees. Therefore, new ways of working together must be applied to work in an international and digital working environment. For Vocational Education and Training (VET), developing new (transversal) competencies to engage in virtual teamwork is necessary to adequately prepare young professionals for the present and future labor market. However, there is little research on the current situation in VET regarding virtual teamwork. Approach: We deployed a cross-sectional design and collected data from N = 181 commercial apprentices in Germany regarding virtual teamwork. We analyze our data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the interrelationships between input, process, and outcome variables to foster satisfaction and innovative learning in virtual teams as desired targets of VET. To assess these results regarding virtuality, the complexity of tasks, gender of the apprentices, and the size of the training firms, we derived a multigroup analysis (MGA) of our model. Findings: The results indicate that organizational factors have the most significant influence concerning the relationship between input and process factors. Surprisingly, the technical affinity of individuals has only a minor effect. Regarding the relationship between process and outcome factors, motivation and responsibility have the highest impact on innovative learning, whilst communication culture severely affects the perceived satisfaction in virtual teamwork. Conclusion: The findings lead to valuable insights on factors influencing virtual teamwork in VET and can help to design learning programs to prepare young professionals to smoothly transition to and successfully master their future working environments by using new ways of collaboration and cooperation. This is particularly relevant for VET, as prior research has focused primarily on primary and secondary education. Lastly, we identify potential scales and items that help capture some of the inherent constructs of virtual teamwork.

Automation anxiety, fairness perceptions, and redistribution: Past experiences condition the response to future job loss

Do beliefs about fairness interact with past experiences of labor market shocks to condition redistributive preferences? In a large-scale survey experiment, we investigate the effect of informing individuals that growth in automation could disrupt labor markets in ways that are (possibly) viewed as unfair. We then exploit the COVID-19-induced labor market shock to test for an interaction between treatments and shock exposure. We find that beliefs interact with shock exposure to increase redistributive preferences and commitments to donate potential prize winnings. Our findings suggest this may be motivated by respondents' concerns about their vulnerability to future labor market shocks.

Students’ Perceptions of the Skills in the Labor Market in the 4th Industrial Revolution

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will have a crucial impact on the jobs, the types of skills required to cover them, and the role of Higher Education in obtaining these skills. Among the challenges universities are called upon to face is providing students with the necessary employability skills for their future professional careers. This research aims to investigate the perceptions of students at the University of the Aegean and the University of Patras on the employability skills considered necessary in the future labor market. The research was conducted using a questionnaire answered by 392 students from various faculties of the University of the Aegean and the University of Patras. The results show that participants consider hard skills more important (such as Equipment Selection and troubleshooting) than programming and mathematics. They also consider soft skills (such as active listening and critical thinking) to be more important than negotiation, social perceptiveness, and coordination. In terms of their degree and the skills it offers, the majority consider that they have chosen it for a professional career and that it provides them with the necessary skills for the labor market. However, for the next 10–15 years, they do not consider that their degree will be sufficient regarding the skills requirements for their employability.

A Systematic Literature Review on Improving Quality of Master Programs through (re)Designing Teacher Training

Master’s education is dynamically evolving worldwide. As M-level programs play a crucial role in improving job prospects for university graduates, our review focused on how a well-designed master's program could train candidates to become proactive and goal-oriented learners as well as practitioner-teachers. The methodology employed in this study was a systematic literature review (SLR) of academic articles that centered on M-level programs. The literature search process involved several stages, including identifying relevant studies for thematic analysis, evaluating their quality, pinpointing patterns and significant results, and discussing the extent of consensus across the research questions posed. The total sample of this SLR comprised 81 studies. Three main typologies were prevalent: theoretical and qualitative studies (n=45), case studies or comparative case studies (n=18), empirical studies (n=14), and a mixed-method approach (n=4). The majority of articles suggested innovative perspectives on M-level program development and delivery (60.94%). Another significant portion of the studies (22.22%) presented experiences or comparative analyses of best practices in M-level programs. A smaller number (17.28%) involved presenting empirical data on the impact of master’s training on students’ satisfaction or their motivation to pursue a master’s program. Thematic analysis confirmed recurring themes on innovative approaches to (re)designing M-level programs and providing comprehensive data systematically, emphasizing the urgent need for universities to (re)design improved programs (also at the master's level) and services to meet the demands of the current and future labor market.

Identifying critical employability skills for employment success of autistic individuals: A content analysis of job postings

AbstractThis study aimed to examine the literature on the skill sets of autistic individuals and determine how these skills align with current and projected future labour market needs. Based on a literature review, researchers identified the following skill categories common to autistic individuals: visual skills, attention to detail and systemizing composite skills. Researchers then gathered aggregated data on occupations and industries from over 90 state and federal sources in the United States. Next, they collected data on the most in‐demand jobs, their industries and relevant skills by analysing hundreds of millions of online job postings. The results indicate the most viable occupations aligned with each skill category. There is minimal available research using labour market data to generate special education goals and transition plans for autistic students. By providing educators and practitioners with critical information regarding viable employment pathways, all stakeholders can more effectively and equitably prepare autistic individuals for the 21st‐century workforce.

Changes in the labour market: the perceptions of Romanian employees regarding the use of telework in the post-pandemic period

PurposeAlmost four years after the COVID-19 pandemic, the changes in the labour market and legislation, but also in people's lives, do not stop. At the same time, employees' perceptions regarding the change in the legislative and contractual framework, as well as in the working conditions and the use of telework, also change. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to identify the perceptions of employees regarding the use of telework in the post-pandemic period.Design/methodology/approachThe research was based on a survey carried out on 128 teleworkers in the post-pandemic period. The statistical hypotheses were tested using Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Kruskal–Wallis tests, multiple linear regression and pairwise comparison analysis.FindingsThe results of the study demonstrate that the modification of the legislative and contractual framework and of the working conditions, as well as of the way of using information and communication technology in the post-pandemic era, generates a positive and significant impact on the use of telework by employees. Some of the main advantages valued by teleworkers included the possibility of benefitting from a flexible work schedule and the possibility of reducing transport costs.Originality/valueThe study highlights the need to continuously develop and update labour policies and strategies in line with current and future labour market requirements, considering the implications of telework on the perceptions of employees, so that government organisations and managers who want to protect the rights and interests of teleworkers, aspects of their lives and organise an appropriate work environment manage to do so in order to achieve the expected results.

Estimating Public Economic Gains from Early Breast Cancer and Curative Treatment: A Case Study in Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (HER-2) Positive Targeted Therapies.

Cancer diagnosis influences the choices that patients make regarding current and future labor market activity. These choices have implications for governments based on resulting changes in taxes paid and benefits received. In this analysis we explore how human growth receptor 2 (HER2)-positive residual invasive breast cancer and different treatments influence government accounts excluding health costs. HER2-positive early breast cancer (eBC) health states from a published disease model were used to establish likelihood of working and wage impact at different stages of disease. The indirect productivity losses for an average woman aged 49years were translated into fiscal consequences to government by applying an established government perspective-modeling framework. The fiscal projections (discounted) include gross tax revenue by disease stage, government transfer costs related to time off work and early retirement ,and net fiscal balance (e.g., gross taxes-transfers) in three countries Canada, Portugal, and Brazil. The net fiscal balance in Canada for a healthy woman was C$109,551 compared with a HER2-positive eBC woman treated with trastuzumab emtansine (C$69,767) or trastuzumab (C$62,971). A similar pattern was observed in the three countries but reflecting the overall tax burden in each country, labor force activity, and available public benefits. Age at diagnosis was an important determinant of the likely net fiscal balance, as this influences the remaining working years. Women diagnosed with HER2-positive eBC were estimated to pay less lifetime gross taxes and receive more in sickness benefits compared with healthy women. Treatments that improve outcomes are likely to offer fiscal gains for government from improved work force participation.

ESG-driven innovation strategy and firm performance

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of aligning an innovation strategy with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices on innovation and non-innovation performance variables. Drawing on principles from Stakeholder Theory and Social Network Theory of Innovation, the research hypothesizes that ESG-driven firms will outperform firms that are not ESG-driven in terms of future innovation outcomes, labor productivity, exporting and survival rates. Using the Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) database, a panel of Spanish companies, the study compares the performance of two groups of innovative firms: firms that declare that at least one of the ESG goals are relevant for their innovation activities (ESG-driven companies) and matched firms that regard all three ESG goals as not important (non-ESG companies). Our findings reveal that ESG-driven companies exhibit a better future innovation performance and that, in terms of labor productivity, exporting, and survival their performance is never inferior than that of innovative firms that are not ESG-driven.

Challenging 21st-Century Competencies for STEM Students: Companies’ Vision in Slovenia and Norway in the Light of Global Initiatives for Competencies Development

Rapid technological innovations are changing the jobs that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students are employed in after completing their education. Therefore, employers are looking for applicants with skills beyond the specialised professional competencies that can be acquired in the chosen subjects during formal education. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have an important role to play in this process, as they endeavour to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge for future jobs. Our study aims to identify the key competencies that Slovenian and Norwegian companies expect from graduates of selected STEM degree programmes in both countries. Based on these findings, the participating HEIs can tailor their degree programmes to the employability requirements of companies. This study first analysed European and international recommendations and initiatives relevant to skills development in STEM employment and education. We selected 30 key competencies and included them in the questionnaires in which companies’ human resources managers (HRMs) defined their attitudes towards employability skills in the future. We focused on companies employing graduates of the Ecotechnologies and Civil and Environmental Engineering programmes of the participating HEIs. The analysis of the results showed that companies in the two countries have different attitudes towards skills. Four competencies were identified as more important in both countries: (i) management and design of processes, technologies, and people’s work, (ii) adaptation to changes, (iii) ability to manage uncertainty, and (iv) innovation. Based on the analysis, we have developed a framework of ten employability skills for STEM students. In addition, this study provides the basis for operating a decision support system (DSS) to monitor the development of students’ competencies. The DSS is being developed as part of the RESPO-VI project supported by the Norway Grants to better match the skills of STEM students as future job seekers with the needs of potential employers. The study’s results will also help other formal and non-formal education adapt their curricula and thus reduce the employability skill gaps between current STEM education and future labour market needs.

Psychological readiness of a specialist to activity as a pedagogical problem

Introduction. The relevance of the article is due to the problem of increasing the requirements of modern society for the quality of professional training of graduates. The article talks about the need to form psychological readiness for the activities of young specialists as an integrated system of professional and personal qualities and properties, the result of which is expressed in the willingness of a specialist to solve current and promising work tasks.Purpose setting. The purpose of the study is to identify the key block of psychological readiness of a specialist to work in the logic of pedagogical science.Methodology and methods of the study. The analysis of scientific publications has shown that the problem of psychological readiness for professional activity is the subject of research by many scientists of general and military pedagogy. Based on the theoretical stage of the research, the authors came to the conclusion that the development of readiness for activity is facilitated by the special mental state of the individual and the presence of a model of actions and a focus on their implementation, which are determined by the availability of appropriate abilities and conditions necessary for the successful implementation of its activities, based on an understanding of the anticipatory reflection of reality, providing a preventive adaptation to the upcoming changes in external conditions or the formation of preparatory changes for future events. Therefore, psychological readiness for activity is a «preventive» adaptation to future labor events.Results. The results of the study include the description and analysis of the problem of psychological readiness for activity in the logic of psychology and pedagogy. The idea of the model of psychological readiness for activity, built on the principles of its implementation, is revealed; the content of each of its components is disclosed and the level criteria characteristic of each of them in the logic of high, medium and low is given. A step-by-step program for the formation of psychological readiness for activity is presented, including a diagnostic complex, the content of work at each stage, and options for the probabilistic result of preparedness.Conclusions. In the final part of the work, it is said that the research problem is practice-oriented and allows us to state that psychological readiness in activity contributes to ensuring high labor productivity, the development of professional qualities necessary for the work performed (initiative, active life position, organizational skills), high efficiency. Psychological readiness for activity is a «preventive» adaptation to future work events.

Exposure to worrisome topics can increase cognitive performance when incentivized by a performance goal

Worrisome topics, such as climate change, economic crises, or pandemics including Covid-19, are increasingly present and pervasive due to digital media and social networks. Do worries triggered by such topics affect the cognitive capacities of young adults? In an online experiment during the Covid-19 pandemic (N=1503), we test how the cognitive performance of university students responds when exposed to topics discussing (i) current adverse mental health consequences of social restrictions or (ii) future labor market hardships linked to the economic contraction. Moreover, we study how such a response is affected by a performance goal. We find that the labor market topic increases cognitive performance when it is motivated by a goal, consistent with a ‘tunneling effect’ of scarcity or a positive stress effect. However, we show that the positive reaction is mainly concentrated among students with larger financial and social resources, pointing to an inequality-widening mechanism. Conversely, we find limited support for a negative stress effect or a ‘cognitive load effect’ of scarcity, as the mental health topic has a negative but insignificant average effect on cognitive performance. Yet, there is a negative response among psychologically vulnerable individuals when the payout is not conditioned on reaching a goal.

Employment of accounting professionals: A descriptive analysis for Chile

Purpose: The objective is to descriptively analyze the employment of accounting professionals from a university in Chile, contrasting their situation with the national average.Methodology: The analysis employed frequency distribution tables, contingency tables, Chi-square tests, and correlation coefficients. Data were obtained from a survey administered to 184 accounting graduates between 2012 and 2021 from a university in Chile.Results: The findings indicate that employability is higher among graduates from the studied university; however, their gross income is lower compared to the national average.Implications: The results are useful for improving aspects of the curriculum to better align with current and future labor market trends for accounting professionals. Additionally, it calls for an exploration of the determinants that explain the employment situation, with the aim of identifying potential areas for professional development.Value: Although there are existing studies on the employability of accounting professionals, this work contrasts a local reality with the national average to identify differences that can be translated into curricular improvements and public employment policy to balance labor market conditions.

조직 내 노동 문제 및 근로 환경에 관한 청년의 시선

In today's organizations, understanding how young people perceive labor challenges and policy issues is essential for taking a strategic approach to systematically address future labor concerns and contribute to creating better organizational cultures and social communities. This study aims to explore the perspectives of young undergraduate students on various labor issues experienced directly and indirectly within organizations. By utilizing Q methodology, which helps understand human behaviors, experiences, cultural phenomena, and categorize diverse perspectives systematically, this study classifies and identifies the characteristics of different groups of young undergraduate students in terms of their views on labor challenges and policy issues within organizations. The analysis reveals four distinct groups: those highly interested in 'labor standards and appropriate working conditions,' those prioritizing 'healthy organizational culture and respectful workers' rights,' those concerned with 'labor laws and social safety nets,' and those focused on 'labor compensation and vacation policies.' Drawing insights from these findings, this study presents organizational, educational, and policy implications for addressing labor problems and improving the perspectives of the youth.

EMPLOYMENT OF FOREIGNERS IN MANUFACTURING AND NON-MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES

In recent years, many manufacturing and non-manufacturing businesses in the Czech Republic as well as elsewhere in the European Union have experienced serious people shortages in manual, technical, and other professions. One possible solution to this personnel issue is the employment of a foreign workforce. Based on a survey of 478 manufacturing and non-manufacturing businesses across the Czech Republic, the paper aims to analyze the experience of surveyed businesses with the employment of foreign workers and propose possible solutions to long-term people shortages. The analysis confirmed that the majority of surveyed businesses need to employ foreign workers to meet present and future labor demands. In addition, dealing with long-term people shortages requires implementing various organizational and technical measures related to working hours, job design, process automation, process outsourcing, and talent development.

Subjective expectations and schooling choices in Latin America and the Caribbean

AbstractExpectations about future labour market opportunities are essential for education and labour market decisions. This paper uses data from a survey of youths in seven Latin American and Caribbean countries to explore the role of expected returns to education on schooling decisions. We find substantial variation in subjective expectations partly explained by youths' socioeconomic characteristics. Also, we find that enrolment in tertiary education is positively related to perceived education returns. Furthermore, the association of expectations with schooling choices differs across individuals in relevant domains, including gender, skills, and socioeconomic background. Our results suggest that public policies might impact choices and reduce socioeconomic gaps in schooling by providing information on education returns.