Mind over Machines: New technology and employment relations

What is the impact that new technology has on employment relations?

IPA have produced for Acas a new research paper looking into the impact that new technology has on employment relations in the workplace.

This report looks at the impact that technology can have on work intensity, worker autonomy and intrusion, the affect it has on communication and the value of human relationships at work, and impacts on work-life balance and employee wellbeing, including both physical and mental health.

The research also examines the important role that employee voice and engagement plays in supporting programmes of technological change, and why it is vital that employers consult and involve their workforces when planning the introduction of new technology.

This paper also includes three case studies; Whittington NHS District Nursing, Siemens Congleton and Jaguar Land Rover. In addition the research includes extracts from numerous interviews with academic, trade union and practitioner perspectives on technology and the future of work.