Prevention of psychosocial risks and facilitation of social relationships in algorithmic management (PräRisAM)

Status:

ongoing

Aims:

Work processes are increasingly being digitalized and managed without direct human involvement through algorithmic management (AM). While AM is currently most prevalent in platform-based work, it is also being adopted more widely in traditional company-based sectors, such as logistics. Alongside the anticipated efficiency gains, initial studies suggest that this form of work organization may also pose risks to employee health. These hypothesized risks are partly attributable to the impact of AM on mental stress, as defined by DIN ISO 10075. In addition, AM may hinder the implementation of participatory occupational health and safety measures – such as workplace risk assessments – and weaken the overall culture of prevention. Institutional, regulatory, and cultural frameworks are also assumed to significantly influence both the adoption and effects of AM. Against this background, there is a clear need to systematically investigate the emerging occupational health and safety challenges associated with algorithmic management.

The project pursues the following research objectives:

(1) To refine the conceptual understanding of algorithmic management and integrate it into existing occupational health and prevention frameworks.

(2) To identify task-specific effects of AM on mental stress.

(3) To examine how AM influences workplace prevention culture across different job contexts.

(4) To determine which factors facilitate or hinder the implementation of occupational health and safety measures under AM.

(5) To incorporate current European regulatory and design approaches, as well as practical experiences with occupational health and safety in the context of AM.

(6) To develop practical design strategies that support and strengthen social relationships in the workplace under conditions shaped by AM.

Activities/Methods:

The transdisciplinary project employs a mixed-methods design: In the first phase, interviews with key occupational health and safety stakeholders (e.g. safety experts, employees) from three sectors – local-bound and remote platform work, as well as logistics – will explore the effects of AM on mental stress, on occupational health and safety, and on the culture of prevention. This will be followed by a standardized survey of 300 employees aimed at identifying the relationship between AM, mental stress (with a focus on social relationships), culture of prevention, and overall well-being. Using a participatory design thinking process, the project will develop a context-specific intervention concept to strengthen social relationships in workplaces shaped by AM. In a second interview study, based on the Delphi method, occupational health and safety stakeholders will evaluate the findings and assess the feasibility of the proposed design strategies. Finally, a European workshop will provide a forum to discuss current occupational health practices related to AM and the implementation of new EU-level regulations in this area.

Last Update: