| Keywords [eng] |
Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0, Quality of Work Life, Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Assistance, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Work Process Digitalization, Skills Development, Job Security, Employee Well-being, Human-Centric Innovation |
| Abstract [eng] |
The main purpose of this Master thesis is to examine how Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies influence employees’ perceived Quality of Work Life (QWL), with a specific focus on stress levels, job security, and opportunities for skills development. The thesis is structured into three main parts: a literature analysis, an empirical research section, and conclusions with recommendations. The literature review traces the evolution from Industry 1.0 to Industry 5.0 and outlines the main technological domains shaping contemporary industrial transformation. Industry 4.0 encompasses automation, artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems, and the Internet of Things, whereas Industry 5.0 introduces a human-centric approach aimed at promoting human–machine collaboration through tools such as cobots, digital twins, and augmented reality. The chapter also examines Quality of Work Life as a multidimensional concept and justifies its operationalisation in this study through three core indicators: stress, job security, and skills development. The empirical research investigates how employees' exposure to Industry 4.0/5.0 tools relates to perceived QWL outcomes. A quantitative survey was conducted, yielding 150 valid responses from employees working in digitally transforming organisational settings. The questionnaire integrated validated scales for stress and job insecurity, as well as adapted items for skills development and technological usage. Data were analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS. SPSS was applied for descriptive statistics, reliability testing, Pearson correlations, and regression analysis, while SmartPLS was used for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to validate the proposed research model and examine latent relationships between constructs. The results indicate that technological adoption has the strongest positive association with employees’ skills development, suggesting that exposure to advanced digital tools enhances competence and learning. Digitalisation shows a negative relationship with job security, implying that technological change may reinforce concerns regarding job displacement. No significant relationship was found between the use of technologies and stress levels, suggesting that technology exposure does not inherently increase psychological strain. Regression and SEM results also confirm that skills development is a key predictor of job satisfaction within the broader QWL construct. |
