Employee Concerns Related to Technological Changes in Future Work: A Network Analysis of Organizational Work Factors in Norway

This study examined associations among five concerns related to technological changes about the future of work, focusing on how these concerns interact with and reinforce organizational factors, namely, the work environment, conditions, and demands in the Norwegian context.

An online survey was conducted among n = 441 Norwegian employees and analyzed using a novel statistical approach, the so-called psychological network analysis. Network communities of organizational work environment, conditions, and demands were created and labeled as organizational work factors, which we then associated with the network community of concerns related to technological changes through bridge connections.

Our findings show that alienation mediates the link between solitary work and job insecurity, meaning isolated employees are more anxious about job security. Additionally, concerns about technology in work organization relate to the need for continuous learning and increased solitary tasks. In a combined model of work environment, conditions, and demands, concerns about technological changes influenced work demands and the work environment more strongly, indicating a robust association with perceptions of increased workload and a less favorable work climate.

These results underscore the complex interplay between technological change concerns and organizational work factors. It is important to address these concerns related to technological changes to ensure a better, more innovative workplace in the future.