4480 - TRAINING WORKERS FOR HUMAN-ROBOT COLLABORATION: A MULTI-STUDY INVESTIGATION

Session: 4475 - "TECHNOLOGY AT WORK: CHALLENGES AND POTENTIALITIES OF ROBOTIZATION IN THE WORKPLACE"
AUTHORS:
Salcedo Gil Raquel (Eindhoven University of Technology ~ Eindhoven ~ Netherlands) , Mol Nicky (Delft University of Technology ~ Delft ~ Netherlands) , Le Blanc Pascale (Eindhoven University of Technology ~ Eindhoven ~ Netherlands) , Rispens Sonja (Eindhoven University of Technology ~ Eindhoven ~ Netherlands) , Van Gool Piet (Eindhoven University of Technology ~ Eindhoven ~ Netherlands) , Kleingeld Ad (Eindhoven University of Technology ~ Eindhoven ~ Netherlands)
Abstract text:
As Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) becomes more prevalent across industries, training employees to collaborate with robots is increasingly acknowledged as critical for successful integration (Charalambous et al., 2015). In fact, inadequate employee preparation has been linked to increased anxiety and resistance (Arslan et al., 2021). As shortages, aging populations, and rising production demands drive increased integration of robots alongside employees on shared tasks, employees face significant challenges, including increased job uncertainty, stress, and a lack of confidence in interacting with robots. Addressing these challenges and developing interventions to increase employees' confidence in their ability to collaborate with robots is essential.
This study investigates how training can facilitate employee transition to working with robots. Building from Social Cognitive Theory, we developed and tested an online training intervention. We conducted two different studies to test the effectiveness of the training intervention on robot use self-efficacy and collaborative performance during a physical task with a robot. The first study examined how an online training intervention affects participants' self-efficacy, attitudes toward robots, and robot acceptance. A total of 66 people were recruited via Prolific. Results revealed a significant increase in all three dependent variables, indicating that the online training effectively enhanced participants' confidence in their ability to work with robots. In the second study, we extend these findings through a laboratory study where participants physically collaborate with an industrial robot in a controlled setting. We assess whether completing the online training intervention prior to the hands-on collaboration improves task performance compared to participants without training.
This study contributes to the existing literature on Human-robot collaboration and employee adaptation to advanced technologies by offering insights into how to prepare employees for collaborating with robots.