Author(s): Garima, Sadhana Vadhawani Bajaj, Jigisha Srivastava and Uma Shankar Yadav
Automation and robotics have revolutionized various sectors, including automobile manufacturing. This research explores how automation/robotics awareness impacts the work performance of employees in this industry, with a focus on the job crafting and job insecurity, as well as emotional intelligence. Based on the transactional model of stress and coping, the study proposes a dual-path framework where challenge-hindrance appraisals toward automation/robotics influence work performance through job crafting and job insecurity. Challenge appraisals are predicted to foster job crafting and reduce job insecurity, while hindrance appraisals are expected to hinder job crafting and worsen job insecurity. Additionally, the study examines how emotional intelligence moderates these relationships, amplifying the positive effects of challenge appraisals on job crafting and work performance while mitigating their negative impact on job insecurity. Conversely, emotional intelligence is anticipated to alleviate the detrimental effects of hindrance appraisals on job crafting and work performance while alleviating their positive impact on job insecurity. Through a cross-sectional survey design and structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques, data is collected from automobile manufacturing employees to test the proposed model and hypotheses. The analysis assesses the direct and indirect effects of automation/robotics awareness on work performance through job crafting and job insecurity pathways, as well as the moderating role of emotional intelligence. This study contributes to both theoretical and practical realms, enhancing understanding of how automation/robotics awareness influences work performance and providing insights for organizations navigating technological disruptions in the automobile industry.