Exploring the Influence of Industry 4.0 Technologies on Workplace Dynamics: A Literature Analysis

Abstract

The rapid advancement of technology globally, coupled with the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, has significantly reshaped traditional production systems and the entire industrial value chain. Consequently, the complexity of tasks increased and substantially altered people's role in the production process. In this sense, the article examines the influence of Industry 4.0 technologies on work dynamics through an exhaustive literature review and bibliometric analysis. Key aspects related to human interaction in the business environment are addressed, and the implications of these emerging technologies on human factors are highlighted. The research identified an exponential growth in interest in human factors and ergonomics in i4.0 technologies from 2017 to 2022, suggesting the COVID-19 pandemic may have accentuated it. In addition, the review provides a comprehensive view of how Industry 4.0 influences the design of new workplaces, prioritizing worker safety and well-being through the study of diversity, skills and competencies of workers to improve adaptation and ergonomics, with a special focus on the intersection between technology and the human element in companies.

Keywords: Ergonomics, Human Factors, Industry 4.0, Bibliometric Analysis, Safety, Diversity, Workplaces Design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005149