The Future of Work

The self-checkout in the supermarket showcases the application of automation and robotics in everyday settings. It is an example of the implementation of labour-saving technology, which falls under the economic concept of ‘technological automation’ or ‘robotic innovation’. These technological changes have implications for job roles, work dynamics, and the overall economic landscape, with potential impacts on both employment and job quality. 

Economists Milena Nikolova and Femke Cnossen will discuss the economic effects of contemporary technological change. How have workers navigated the shifting terrain in terms of their job prospects, work tasks and activities? Will it still be possible to get meaning out of a job given accelerating rates of technological adoption, and if so, under what circumstances? And what have been the exact effects on economies overall? 

Milena Nikolova is an Aletta Jacobs Professor in the Economics of Well-being and a Rosalind Franklin Fellow at the University of Groningen. Her research focuses on the economics of happiness and transition economies. Nikolova’s current projects are centered around the implications of technology for workers’ tasks and well-being.

Femke Cnossen is an Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen, with a main focus on Labour Economics. Her research revolves around three core issues: tasks, skills and meaning at work. She is interested in what it is that people are exactly doing at work, how it relates to their capabilities, and when they feel they can thrive in their jobs.