Emerging technology use in the workplace
New technologies may help us work safer and more efficiently—however, we don't yet understand the affect they could have on the health of workers.
Evaluating and using emerging technologies
It's important to take a precautionary approach to the introduction and use of new technologies. Find recommendations for best practice approaches.
The impact of introducing new technology into the workplace
Explore the benefits of new technologies, and the emerging hazards that need consideration.
Risks associated with emerging technologies
Explore the societal risks associated with the introduction of new workplace technologies—like the loss of work, technology dependence, and security concerns.
The benefits and challenges of new technologies
Emerging technology has the potential to transform the way we work. Technologies including the internet and artificial intelligence (AI) have become ingrained in many job processes. And, as evolution shows, we must adapt if we’re to survive in the long term.
While technology may increase productivity by automating repetitive tasks and improving work performance, there may be other impacts we do not understand yet.
Industry 4.0—the fourth Industrial Revolution, described as increasing technology and digitalisation—may open opportunities for improved health and safety by reducing physically demanding work and removing workers from hazardous environments.
However, there are concerns that AI could reduce human flexibility through its need for consistency, creating dull work for humans. Technology could also create challenges for human workers through social isolation and other psychosocial risks.
Managers and practitioners are now faced with new choices around technology—all while we are still learning about the unintended consequences of technology use. For example, we can reduce the physical demands of a task, but we don't yet know what impact this could have on psychosocial factors.
Advances in technology need to be supported by skills training and policies in the workplace, and any introduction of new technology needs to evaluated to ensure it is fit for purpose—for both the human, and the work in hand.
Feedback
To find out more about the Wellbeing at Work initiative, or to give us your feedback on the early material, contact Professor Joanne Crawford.
Professor of Health and Safety
School of Health
References
- Baldassarre, A., Lulli, L. G., Cavallo, F., Fiorini, L., Mariniello, A., Mucci, N., & Arcangeli, G. (2022). Industrial exoskeletons from bench to field: Human-machine interface and user experience in occupational settings and tasks. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 1039680. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1039680
- Castillo, D., Canhoto, A. I., & Said, E. (2021). The dark side of AI-powered service interactions: exploring the process of co-destruction from the customer perspective. The Service Industries Journal, 41(13–14), 900–925. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2020.1787993
- Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Kar, A. K., Baabdullah, A. M., Grover, P., Abbas, R., Andreini, D., Abumoghli, I., Barlette, Y., Bunker, D., Chandra Kruse, L., Constantiou, I., Davison, R. M., De’, R., Dubey, R., Fenby-Taylor, H., Gupta, B., He, W., Kodama, M., … Wade, M. (2022). Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action. International Journal of Information Management, 63, 102456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102456.
- Driessen MT, Proper KI, van Tulder MW, Anema JR, Bongers PM, van der Beek AJ. The effectiveness
of physical and organisational ergonomic interventions on low back pain and neck pain: a
systematic review. Occup Environ Med 2010; 67(4): 277-285. - EU-OSHA (2018). Foresight on New and Emerging Occupational Safety and Health Risks Associated
Digitalisation by 2025 — Final report. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work;
Available from: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/foresight-new-and- emergingoccupational-safety-and-health-risks-associated/view - EU-OSHA.(2021d). OSHwiki: Psychosocial risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
OSHwiki; Available from:https://oshwiki.eu/wiki/Psychosocial_risk_factors_for_musculoskeletal_disorders_(MSDs) - EU-OSHA (2021e). Participatory Ergonomics and Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in the
Workplace. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work;. Available from: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/participatory-ergonomics-and-preventingmusculoskeletal-disorders-workplace/view - EU-OSHA. Teleworking during the EU-OSHA (2021g). The Association between Psychosocial Risk Factors at Work and the Occurrence and Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders. European Agency for Safety and
Health at Work. - EU-OSHA. (2020f).Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Why Are They Still So Prevalent?
Evidence from a Literature Review. European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Available
from: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/work-related-musculoskeletal-disorders-why-are-
theystill-so-prevalent-evidence/view - EU-OSHA (2019d). The Impact of Using Exoskeletons on Occupational Safety and Health. European
Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Available from: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/impact-using-exoskeletons-occupational-safety- andhealth/view - EU-OSHA (2020a). Occupational Exoskeletons: Wearable Robotic Devices to Prevent Work-related
Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace of the Future. European Agency for Safety and
Health at Work. Available from: https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/occupationalexoskeletons-wearable-robotic- devices-and-preventing-work-related - Frey, C., & Rahbari, E. (2016). Do labor-saving technologies spell the death of jobs in the developing world. Paper prepared for the 2016 Brookings Blum Roundtable, Aspen, Colorado.
- Gavaghan, C., Knott, A., & Maclaurin, J. (2021). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Jobs and Work in New Zealand. Otago University. https://www.otago.ac.nz/caipp/otago828396.pdf
- Gihleb, R., Giuntella, O., Stella, L., & Wang, T. (2022). Industrial robots, Workers’ safety, and health. Labour Economics, 78, 102205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2022.102205
- Gomez, L. E., & Bernet, P. (2019). Diversity improves performance and outcomes. Journal of the National Medical Association, 111(4), 383–392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2019.01.006
- Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Asim Qadri, M., Pratap Singh, R., & Suman, R. (2022). Artificial intelligence (AI) applications for marketing: A literature-based study. International Journal of Intelligent Networks, 3, 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijin.2022.08.005
- Hopkins, J., & Bardoel, A. (2023). The Future Is Hybrid: How Organisations Are Designing and Supporting Sustainable Hybrid Work Models in Post-Pandemic Australia. Sustainability, 15(4), 3086. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043086
- Howard, J. (2006). Emerging technologies and the safety and health of working people: knowledge gaps and research directions. US: Department of Health & Human Services, CDC, NIOSH. *NIOSH emerging technology.pdf
- Lee, N., & Clarke, S. (2019). Do low-skilled workers gain from high-tech employment growth? High-technology multipliers, employment and wages in Britain. Research Policy, 48(9), 103803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2019.05.012
- Li, S., Xu, L. D., & Zhao, S. (2015). The internet of things: a survey. Information Systems Frontiers, 17(2), 243–259. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-014-9492-7
- Kennedy CA, Amick BC, Dennerlein JT, Brewer S, Catli S, Williams R, et al. Systematic review of the role of occupational health and safety interventions in the prevention of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms, signs, disorders, injuries, claims and lost time. J Occup Rehabil 2010; 20(2): 127-162
- Lichtenthaler, U. (2020). Beyond artificial intelligence: why companies need to go the extra step. Journal of Business Strategy, 41(1), 19–26.
- Marz, W., & Şen, S. (2022). Does telecommuting reduce commuting emissions? Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 116, 102746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2022.102746
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (2022). Small Business. https://www.mbie.govt.nz/business-and-employment/business/support-for-business/small-business - Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (2017). The Investor’s guide to the New Zealand Technology Sector. https://www.mbie.govt.nz/assets/de3265bf8b/investor-guide-to-the-nz-tech-sector.pdf
Neumann WP, Winkelhaus S, Grosse EH, Glock CH. Industry 4.0 and the human factor — a systems
framework and analysis methodology for successful development. Int J Prod Econ 2021;233:107992. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925527320303418 - New Zealand Productivity Commission. (2019). Digital Divide Workshop. Auckland University of Technology. https://www.productivity.govt.nz/assets/Documents/9262141681/NZPC-Digital-Divide-Workshop-Summary-Aug-2019.pdf New Zealand Productivity Commission (2020). Technological change and the future of work: final report, March 2020. Te Kōmihana Whai Hua o Aotearoa.
- OECD. (2021). OECD Skills Outlook 2021: Learning for Life. OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/0ae365b4-en
Quayyum, F., Cruzes, D. S., & Jaccheri, L. (2021). Cybersecurity awareness for children: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 30, 100343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2021.100343 - Rasool, T., Warraich, N. F., & Sajid, M. (2022). Examining the Impact of Technology Overload at the Workplace: A Systematic Review. SAGE Open, 12(3), 215824402211143. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221114320
- Rehman, N., Mahmood, A., Ibtasam, M., Murtaza, S. A., Iqbal, N., & Molnár, E. (2021). The Psychology of Resistance to Change: The Antidotal Effect of Organizational Justice, Support and Leader-Member Exchange. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 678952. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.678952
- Reid, B., Muller, G., Molloy, A., Collier, M., Wise, P., Minogue, S., Schiff, A., Glass, H., & Laws, S. (2018). ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Shaping a Future New Zealand. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/5754-artificial-intelligence-shaping-a-future-new-zealand-pdf
- Robelski S, Sommer S. ICT-enabled mobile work: challenges and opportunities for occupational
health and safety systems. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17(20). Available from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602556/ - Roquelaure Y. Musculoskeletal Disorders and Psychosocial Factors at Work. Brussels: European
Trade Union Institute; 2018, p. 82. Report No 142. Available from:
https://www.etui.org/sites/default/files/EN-Report-142-MSD-Roquelaure-WEB.pdf - Sanders, C. K., & Scanlon, E. (2021). The Digital Divide Is a Human Rights Issue: Advancing Social Inclusion Through Social Work Advocacy. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 6(2), 130–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-020-00147-9
- Shahid Iqbal, M., Ul Hassan, M., & Habibah, U. (2018). Impact of self-service technology (SST) service quality on customer loyalty and behavioral intention: The mediating role of customer satisfaction. Cogent Business & Management, 5(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2018.1423770
- Small, B. (2017). Digital Technology and Agriculture: Foresight for Rural Enterprises and Rural Lives in New Zealand. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.15640/jaes.v6n2a7
Soori, M., Arezoo, B., & Dastres, R. (2023). Artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning in advanced robotics, a review. Cognitive Robotics, 3, 54–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogr.2023.04.001 - Stock SR, Nicolakakis N, Vézina N, Vézina M, Gilbert L, Turcot A, et al. Are work organization
interventions effective in preventing or reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders? A systematic review of the literature. Scand J Work Environ Health 2018; 44(2): 113-133. - Theurel J, Desbrosses K, Roux T, Savescu A. Physiological consequences of using an upper limb
exoskeleton during manual handling tasks. Appl Ergon 2018; 67: 211-217
World Bank. (2016). World development report 2016: Digital dividends. Washington, DC: Author.