It’s not all Bad – Worker Perceptions of Industrial Robots

The current discourse presented by mainstream media towards industrial robots seems to focus on the negative aspects their introduction brings to the workforce. However, it is unclear whether industrial workers share this negative perspective regarding industrial robots. In this paper, we present the results of a survey study (N=94) investigating differences in perception towards industrial robots, depending on the presence or absence of exposure to them in the workplace. Our results show that while workers with robot experience acknowledge that robots can lead to job loss, they also show stronger beliefs in the robots ability to boost new job opportunities. Additionally, we found that first-hand experience with robots in the workplace can positively affect workers perceptions about their advantages. Overall, our findings show that, contrasting the bleak picture drawn by mainstream media, workers exposed to industrial robots developed a more nuanced view of this new technology in the workplace.