Redesigning jobs by automating disfavored tasks benefits workers: Evidence from cashiers
COM2 Level 4
Executive Classroom, COM2-04-02
Abstract:
We investigate how automation of disfavored tasks enables the redesign of jobs to benefit workers. Conventionally, cashiers scan purchases and collect payments. A supermarket chain progressively converted stores to a scan-only checkout format which shifted the task of collecting payments to customer self-service. Vignette experiments reveal that cashiers valued the new scan-only job design at 1.5-7.3 percent of wages. The scan-only job design reduced cashiers' heart rate by 1.4 percent. Cashiers at converted stores more strongly preferred to the new job design and were more risk averse as compared to those at unconverted stores.
Bio:
Ong Pinchuan is Assistant Professor and Ivan Png is Distinguished Professor, Department of Strategy & Policy, NUS Business School.