A European charter for robot-human collaboration has been released by the European Engineering Industries Association (EUnited). The document defines some 10 focus areas that are going to be decisive in shaping work in the coming years.
"The transition to a more automated and data-driven economy requires changes in work arrangements, which must be adapted by employers, their employees and governments," said Nobel laureate Sir Christopher Pissarides, co-chairman at the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW). "Industry can help by ensuring their workers have the skills and knowledge to thrive in the new economy."
Working as people instead of machines
Robots are good at performing so-called '4D tasks': tasks that are dull, dirty, dangerous or delicate (dull, dirty, dangerous and delicate). They can take over all kinds of tasks from us that are less suitable for humans. For example, industrial robots have been used since the 1970s to perform boring, repetitive tasks that require little interaction. They can perform these tasks 24/7. Outsourcing such tasks ensures that people work like people, not machines.
Humans remain in charge
As humans and robots work more closely together, the question of who will eventually serve whom is increasingly being asked: will the robot serve the human, or will the human serve the robot? Robots and related technology should obviously support humans argues EUnited, and not the other way around. The European robotics industry is therefore betting on a 'human-in-command' approach to working environments.
Skills development
We live in times when transformations are accelerating, which can lead to a skills mismatch. As the speed of change accelerates further, we need to intensify the development and management of transition. This is the only way to ensure that employees continue to grow with us and update their knowledge. This will enable them to perform higher-quality tasks and roll out advanced automation technology that relies on a dynamic workforce.
Inspiring young people for STEM
Ensuring that we have sufficient technical staff for the challenges of the future is imperative, the charter states. At the same time, few people are focusing on STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The European robotics industry is responding to this by setting up initiatives that promote STEM subjects among young people.
Inclusiveness and participation
Robotics and automation can support workers at every level. However, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) concludes that participation in training is actually lowest among the group of workers who can benefit most. These include low-skilled older adults. EUnited calls this a lost opportunity and believes this must change. In part by increasing inclusiveness and participation.
Creating opportunities
The introduction of robots and automation technology can create opportunities for workers at all levels. As robots become easier to use and can be programmed intuitively, the technology is becoming more accessible. Workers who embrace the technology and develop skills around robots thereby increase their career opportunities. Besides robots, other related technologies can also enable workers to perform higher-skilled tasks.
Human-robot collaboration
Technology is closer to us today than ever before, enabling us to do new things in new ways. Thus, technology has become an essential part of our daily lives. For instance, our interaction with smart devices has become second nature. This has fundamentally changed not only the way we live, but also the way we work. Some experts expect this close relationship between humans and machines to eventually lead to a new class of 'combined skills'.
Ease of use
The installation, programming and use of robots has been simplified over the years. The robot industry remains committed to further simplifying the use of robots. This makes robots more widely accessible: the technology is no longer only the domain of a select group of highly trained specialists and technicians. This trend is accelerating in the coming years, EUnited expects.
Sustainability
The world's population is growing rapidly, making efficient use of available resources an efficient necessity. Intelligently automated production can make an important contribution to minimising our energy consumption and use of natural resources, enabling a transition to a climate-neutral economy. Automation can take over boring, dirty, dangerous and delicate tasks, thus contributing to a healthy and ergonomic workplace with high employee satisfaction.
Tackling demographic change
Thanks to demographic shifts, many developed economies are facing major labour shortages in the coming decades. This could constrain economic growth and thus prosperity in the future. Germany's workforce, for example, is expected to shrink by around 10 million people over the next 20 years. EUnited attributes this to baby boomers retiring and low birth rates. Robotics and automation can provide an answer to this problem.
More information can be found in EUnited's 'The Good Work Charter of the European Robotics Industry'.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
