Abstract
The present study investigates the impact of robotic automation on job satisfaction among production employees at Viessmann Climate Solutions SE. Utilizing the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) and the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS), this research aims to compare job satisfaction levels between employees working at a robotic station and those at a manual station. The study examines five core job dimensions: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Additionally, the moderating effects of personal growth needs and job insecurity on job satisfaction are analyzed.
A sample of 18 male employees participated, with an average age of 41.72 years and varied levels of work experience. The study employed a within-subjects design, where each participant completed the JDS twice—once for the robotic station and once for the manual station. Data analysis included dependent t-tests and hierarchical regression analyses to test the hypotheses.
The results revealed no significant differences in the overall Motivating Potential Score (MPS) between the robotic and manual stations. However, significant differences were found in specific job dimensions such as task identity and task significance, favoring the manual station. The need for personal growth showed a significant quadratic relationship with job satisfaction, indicating an inverted U-shaped curve. Job insecurity negatively correlated with job satisfaction at the robotic station, highlighting the psychological impact of automation.
This study contributes to the understanding of how robotic automation affects job satisfaction in a production environment, emphasizing the need for considering psychological factors such as personal growth needs and job insecurity in the implementation of automated systems.
