Abstract

Digital transformation changes the way people work. In current debates, it is often discussed that the advancing digital transformation could lead to the substitution of physically demanding tasks by machines, while psychosocial demands could increase as a result of work intensification or job insecurity. In cooperation with the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), this project investigates the relationship between changes in the world of work in the course of digital transformation and work demands as well as health. We use data on work demands and health from the BiBB/BAuA employment surveys of 2012 and 2018 and combine them with other variables based on rich administrative data from the Federal Employment Agency. In order to map the degree of digital transformation, we use, e.g., the substitution potentials of occupations calculated on the basis of the expert database BERUFENET of the Federal Employment Agency. Using panel regressions, we can investigate whether digital transformation reduces physical work demands and increases psychosocial work demands and to what extent this influences health.