Automation Has a Positive Impact on Workplace Safety, Global Workers Say
Workers are optimistic about how technologies, such as robotics and AI, can enhance safety.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Oct 23, 2024
A recent survey of more than 9,000 workers from nine countries, conducted by the MIT Industrial Performance Center, suggests automation significantly improves workplace safety.
According to the report, nearly half of respondents (44.9 percent) reported positive expectations regarding how new technologies could make their jobs safer. This notably highlights a potential shift toward automation, which workers often believed would only contribute to long-term job losses. The report emphasizes how robots and AI could potentially reduce workers' exposure to hazardous tasks, particularly in high-risk industries such as manufacturing or construction.
However, the survey reported that countries with strong social safety nets—such as Germany, Spain and Italy—reported more positive views on automation’s impact on workplace safety. Conversely, workers in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom tend to be more neutral or skeptical about automation’s effects. But one overall takeaway was that the key to realizing these safety benefits lies in the relationship between the workers and their employers.
Workers who feel valued by their employers and see investments in their safety and comfort are far more likely to embrace automation as a positive force, research indicates. When employers are proactive in using technology to enhance safety, workers feel more secure and optimistic. Notably, 42.6 percent of workers were neutral on automation, leaving room for improvement.
Survey respondents are workers in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey included more than 200 questions divided across four sections concerning work environment, technology interaction on the job, attitudes towards work and technology, and the impact of technology on work. The full report is online.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.