Collaborative service robots and employee career sustainability: a mixed-methods study of trust and innovativeness as moderators
subject: Career sustainability; Collaborative service robots; Humanrobot collaboration; Innovativeness; Mixed methods approach; Trust
description: Purpose This study aims to explore how the integration of collaborative service robots (cobots) in the workplace influences employees long-term career sustainability. Specifically, it investigates the moderating roles of perceived innovativeness, trust and employee type in this relationship. The research integrates insights from decent work theory, career sustainability theory, perceived innovativeness theory and initial trust theory to develop and validate a comprehensive conceptual framework. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mixed-method design was adopted. In Phase I, qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews with ten senior women managers from software development firms in India. Using grounded theory analysis via NVivo, key themes and constructs were identified. In Phase II, a structured questionnaire was developed based on these findings and distributed among employees working in manufacturing, logistics and hospitality sectors industries actively using service robots. A total of 755 usable responses were analysed using structural equation modelling with SmartPLS 4. Findings The analysis confirmed that humanrobot collaboration effectiveness, perceived working conditions and perceived autonomy significantly impact employees career sustainability, as reflected through their health, happiness and productivity. Furthermore, both trust in service robots and perceived organisational innovativeness emerged as significant mediators in these relationships. In addition, the strength of these relationships varied across managerial and non-managerial employees, highlighting the contingent role of employee type in shaping career sustainability outcomes in robot-enabled workplaces. Practical implications The findings provide actionable insights for HR professionals, technology managers and policymakers by underscoring the need for role-sensitive implementation strategies when introducing collaborative robots. Tailoring trust-building and innovation …
creator: Poulose, Jeanne; Payal, Ruchi; Sharma, Vinod
source: International Journal of Conflict Management;pp.1-38
publisher: Emerald Publishing
date: 01-01-2026
rights: Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
relation: ISSN: 10444068;
format: online
language: English
type: Article
coverage: Poulose J., School of Business and Management, Christ University, Bengaluru, India; Payal R., Department of Analytics, Institute of Management Technology Ghaziabad, Ghaziabad, India; Sharma V., Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India