EMPLOYEES’ CHALLENGES AND NEEDS FOR RESKILLING WHEN WORKING WITH SOFTWARE ROBOTS

Software robots are becoming increasingly adopted in different industries. The growing rate of automatization will affect more and more people and will result in changes in businesses of all sizes. Impacts can be observed at both the organizational and individual employee levels. A growing number of studies of software robots’ advantages and disadvantages on an organizational or industry-specific level have been carried out. However, there is limited knowledge about the employees’ perceptions of challenges and new skills needed when working with software robots. This study addresses this gap by using open-ended questionnaire responses from employees who have worked with software robots. This study aims to contribute to prior knowledge by identifying comprehensive sets of subcategories for employees’ perceptions of (1) the challenges as well as (2) the new skills needed when working with software robots. As practical implications, our findings can help organizations and individual workers prepare for the implementation and use of software robots by identifying potential challenges, planning for overcoming such challenges via suitable skills, and providing training for employees. According to our findings, many respondents mentioned learning new technical skills as a challenge, and because they have had to work with software robots, they have acquired additional knowledge, such as basic programming skills. Challenges related to reskilling constitute an interesting topic for further research

Emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots

Despite the growing body of literature on technostress, there is limited knowledge about the emergence of technostress among people working with physical robots. In this paper, we aim to address this research gap by exploring how technostress emerges among employees working with physical robots. The study was based on qualitative online questionnaire responses from 199 present or previous users of robots at work. Based on our data, we identified several robot-related environmental conditions that contributed to perceived work-related stress. In addition, we identified personal and situational factors that influenced perceived stress. Our findings reveal that the emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots has distinct characteristics, and that the technostressors identified in previous studies are insufficient for explaining stress in this context. Therefore, our study extends the technostress literature and provides insights into employees’ experiences in organizations that use physical robots

“It is better than working with a person”: Affective cues and responses to robots at work

Robotic technologies are gaining popularity in various industries, and, by implication, academic research anticipates changes in occupations and work tasks, as well as in the labor market in general. In the future, human employees and robots will increasingly work side by side as coworkers. Despite growing interest, little is known about human employees’ experiences of working with robots, and particularly, their emotions toward robots. However, research has shown that emotions – that is, affective responses – play an important role in the use and adoption of technologies. To address this research gap, we conducted a qualitative questionnaire examining the emotions experienced by employees working with robots and the antecedents of those emotions. We found seven affective cues (i.e., triggers of emotions) related to robots that employees responded to with various affective responses: robot as a technological advancement, technical errors and restrictions, robot’s autonomy, robot user’s self-efficacy, emotional connection with a robot, decrease in human–human interaction, and fear of losing jobs. The findings of our study provide insights into employees’ experiences and help organizations smoothen the collaboration between human employees and robots.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Clinical Assessment and Improved Diagnosis of Bocavirus-induced Wheezing in Children, Finland

Accurate diagnosis of respiratory infections requires serologic analysis and PCR of serum

“It is better than working with a person” : Affective cues and responses to robots at work

Robotic technologies are gaining popularity in various industries, and, by implication, academic research anticipates changes in occupations and work tasks, as well as in the labor market in general. In the future, human employees and robots will increasingly work side by side as coworkers. Despite growing interest, little is known about human employees’ experiences of working with robots, and particularly, their emotions toward robots. However, research has shown that emotions – that is, affective responses – play an important role in the use and adoption of technologies. To address this research gap, we conducted a qualitative questionnaire examining the emotions experienced by employees working with robots and the antecedents of those emotions. We found seven affective cues (i.e., triggers of emotions) related to robots that employees responded to with various affective responses: robot as a technological advancement, technical errors and restrictions, robot’s autonomy, robot user’s self-efficacy, emotional connection with a robot, decrease in human–human interaction, and fear of losing jobs. The findings of our study provide insights into employees’ experiences and help organizations smoothen the collaboration between human employees and robots.peerReviewe

Emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots

Despite the growing body of literature on technostress, there is limited knowledge about the emergence of technostress among people working with physical robots. In this paper, we aim to address this research gap by exploring how technostress emerges among employees working with physical robots. The study was based on qualitative online questionnaire responses from 197 present or previous users of robots at work. Based on our data, we identified several robot-related environmental conditions that contributed to perceived work-related stress. Our findings reveal that the emergence of technostress among employees working with physical robots has distinct characteristics and that the technostressors identified in previous studies are insufficient for explaining stress in this context. Therefore, our study extends the technostress literature and provides insights into employees’ experiences in organizations that use physical robots.peerReviewe

Human bocavirus infection diagnosed serologically among children admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia in a tropical region

Human bocavirus (HBoV) is a human virus associated with respiratory disease in children. Limited information is available on acute infection with HBoV among children admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia in tropical regions and the current diagnosis is inadequate. The aims were to diagnose and describe acute HBoV infections among children hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia. In Salvador, Brazil, 277 children with community-acquired pneumonia were prospectively enrolled. Paired serum samples were tested by IgG, IgM, and IgG-avidity enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) using recombinant HBoV VP2. HBoV DNA was detected in nasopharyngeal aspirates and serum by a quantitative polymerase-chain reaction (PCR). HBoV DNA was detected in nasopharyngeal aspirates of 62/268 (23%) children and 156/273 (57%) were seropositive. Acute primary HBoV infection was reliably diagnosed (bearing at least two acute markers: Positive IgM, a fourfold increase/conversion of IgG, low IgG avidity or viremia) in 21 (8%) of 273 patients, 90% of 20 had HBoV DNA in nasopharyngeal aspirates, 83% with a high DNA load. The median age of infection with HBoV was 16 months, range 5-36.Community-acquired pneumonia was confirmed radiographically in 85% of 20 patients with acute HBoV infection diagnosed serologically. HBoV DNA was found in nasopharyngeal aspirates of 42/246(17%) children without an acute primary HBoV infection and available nasopharyngeal aspirate. Four children with HBoV secondary immune responses were detected, lacking both IgM and viremia. HBoV infection was diagnosed accurately in children aged 5-36 months with community-acquired pneumonia confirmed radiographically. PCR of nasopharyngeal aspirates is not a reliable marker of acute HBoV infection. J. Med. Virol. 84:253-258, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa no Estado da Bahia (FAPESB), Salvador, BrazilFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa no Estado da Bahia (FAPESB), Salvador, BrazilAcademy of Finland [1122539]Academy of FinlandMedical Society of FinlandMedical Society of FinlandUniversity of HelsinkiUniversity of HelsinkiSigrid Juselius Foundation, Helsinki, FinlandSigrid Juselius Foundation, Helsinki, Finlan