Easing job jitters in the digital revolution

The world’s fourth industrial revolution is bringing significant changes to the workplace. Professor Steven Dhondt, an expert in work and organisational change, reassures people in the EU that they need not worry about losing their jobs to automation. Instead, he emphasizes the opportunities that technology brings and encourages the development of new business practices and welfare support. The rapid advancement of digital technologies is considered the fourth industrial revolution, marked by automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) – also known as “Industry 4.0”. Dhondt explains that questions about technology’s impact on jobs reflect broader concerns about employment practices and the labor market. He highlights the importance of using technology to enhance jobs rather than downgrade their quality. Dhondt led an EU research project called Beyond4.0, which explored how businesses and welfare systems can better adapt to support workers in the face of technological changes. The project studied successful examples like Metaglas, a Dutch glass company that invested more in its workforce and empowered employees, resulting in job retention and profitability. The case of Oulu, Finland, where collaboration among Nokia, local universities, and policymakers helped create new businesses and high-tech jobs, was also examined. The project also considered new forms of welfare support, such as a trial of a “universal basic income” in Finland and a model called “participation income.” The researchers hope their findings, including on welfare support, will help organizations navigate the changing tech landscape. Another researcher, Dr. Aisling Tuite, coordinated the HECAT project, which aimed to help job seekers find suitable work through a more open online system. The system combines new vacancies, career counseling, and labor-market data to assist individuals in finding jobs and understanding labor-market trends. The HECAT system was tested and is now available as a beta version. Tuite hopes to demonstrate the system in governmental employment-services organizations across the EU. The research mentioned in the article was funded by the EU and originally published in Horizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine.



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