Exploring the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality: A study among civil servants

Maria C.W. Peeters; Jan Fekke Ybema; Pascale M. Le Blanc; Judith Plomp

doi:10.1177/0143831X251347151

Exploring the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality: A study among civil servants

Maria C.W. Peeters^*
, Jan Fekke Ybema
, Pascale M. Le Blanc
, Judith Plomp

^*Corresponding author for this work

Netherlands Labour Authority

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This study explores the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality. It was conducted across various parts of the Dutch central government. The authors assessed how civil servants perceive changes in job demands, job resources and some relevant outcomes following the implementation of new technologies. Data were collected through an online Technology Monitor (TM) which was (at least partly) completed by 332 respondents. Results showed that employees perceived significant increases in various job demands, alongside a modest increase in the job resource autonomy after technology implementation. Additionally, civil servants who experienced more autonomy following new technology implementation reported higher levels of both work engagement and employability. In contrast, perceptions of increased workload were associated with more burnout symptoms. Interestingly, perceived increases in task variation were associated with fewer burnout symptoms, lower job insecurity and higher work engagement. These findings offer valuable insights for managers and HR professionals involved in managing technological transitions, emphasizing the importance of employee-centered strategies to safeguard and enhance the quality of work of civil servants.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	851-873
Number of pages	23
Journal	Economic and Industrial Democracy
Volume	46
Issue number	3
Early online date	27 Jun 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0143831X251347151
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

Funding

This research was funded by a grant from A + O fonds Rijk, an independent Dutch Foundation for Innovation and Research within Dutch Government.

Funders
A + O fonds Rijk
Independent Dutch Foundation for Innovation and Research within Dutch Government

Keywords

job demands
job resources
technological innovations
work design
work outcomes
work quality

Access to Document

10.1177/0143831X251347151Licence: CC BY

peeters-et-al-2025-exploring-the-delicate-relation-between-technological-innovations-and-work-quality-a-study-amongFinal published version, 328 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{241f80f9f10e402dbdd75b474973cccd,

title = "Exploring the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality: A study among civil servants",

abstract = "This study explores the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality. It was conducted across various parts of the Dutch central government. The authors assessed how civil servants perceive changes in job demands, job resources and some relevant outcomes following the implementation of new technologies. Data were collected through an online Technology Monitor (TM) which was (at least partly) completed by 332 respondents. Results showed that employees perceived significant increases in various job demands, alongside a modest increase in the job resource autonomy after technology implementation. Additionally, civil servants who experienced more autonomy following new technology implementation reported higher levels of both work engagement and employability. In contrast, perceptions of increased workload were associated with more burnout symptoms. Interestingly, perceived increases in task variation were associated with fewer burnout symptoms, lower job insecurity and higher work engagement. These findings offer valuable insights for managers and HR professionals involved in managing technological transitions, emphasizing the importance of employee-centered strategies to safeguard and enhance the quality of work of civil servants.",

keywords = "job demands, job resources, technological innovations, work design, work outcomes, work quality",

author = "Peeters, \{Maria C.W.\} and Ybema, \{Jan Fekke\} and \{Le Blanc\}, \{Pascale M.\} and Judith Plomp",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1177/0143831X251347151",

language = "English",

volume = "46",

pages = "851--873",

journal = "Economic and Industrial Democracy",

issn = "0143-831X",

publisher = "SAGE",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Exploring the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality

T2 - A study among civil servants

AU - Peeters, Maria C.W.

AU - Ybema, Jan Fekke

AU - Le Blanc, Pascale M.

AU - Plomp, Judith

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - This study explores the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality. It was conducted across various parts of the Dutch central government. The authors assessed how civil servants perceive changes in job demands, job resources and some relevant outcomes following the implementation of new technologies. Data were collected through an online Technology Monitor (TM) which was (at least partly) completed by 332 respondents. Results showed that employees perceived significant increases in various job demands, alongside a modest increase in the job resource autonomy after technology implementation. Additionally, civil servants who experienced more autonomy following new technology implementation reported higher levels of both work engagement and employability. In contrast, perceptions of increased workload were associated with more burnout symptoms. Interestingly, perceived increases in task variation were associated with fewer burnout symptoms, lower job insecurity and higher work engagement. These findings offer valuable insights for managers and HR professionals involved in managing technological transitions, emphasizing the importance of employee-centered strategies to safeguard and enhance the quality of work of civil servants.

AB - This study explores the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality. It was conducted across various parts of the Dutch central government. The authors assessed how civil servants perceive changes in job demands, job resources and some relevant outcomes following the implementation of new technologies. Data were collected through an online Technology Monitor (TM) which was (at least partly) completed by 332 respondents. Results showed that employees perceived significant increases in various job demands, alongside a modest increase in the job resource autonomy after technology implementation. Additionally, civil servants who experienced more autonomy following new technology implementation reported higher levels of both work engagement and employability. In contrast, perceptions of increased workload were associated with more burnout symptoms. Interestingly, perceived increases in task variation were associated with fewer burnout symptoms, lower job insecurity and higher work engagement. These findings offer valuable insights for managers and HR professionals involved in managing technological transitions, emphasizing the importance of employee-centered strategies to safeguard and enhance the quality of work of civil servants.

KW - job demands

KW - job resources

KW - technological innovations

KW - work design

KW - work outcomes

KW - work quality

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105010354910

U2 - 10.1177/0143831X251347151

DO - 10.1177/0143831X251347151

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105010354910

SN - 0143-831X

VL - 46

SP - 851

EP - 873

JO - Economic and Industrial Democracy

JF - Economic and Industrial Democracy

IS - 3

ER -

Exploring the delicate relation between technological innovations and work quality: A study among civil servants

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this