The impact of physical and mental stress on the cognitive abilities of employees in Industry 5.0 manufacturing environments: A systematic literature review

Abstract

Transition to Industry 5.0 reshapes manufacturing work environments by placing human capabilities, wellbeing and sustainability in the centre of technological development. Job tasks tendency to switch from manual handling to cognitive nature as well as workforce ageing, it is critical to understand, the impact of physical and mental stress on cognitive abilities of employees. A systemic literature analysis performed within this study concentrates on relations between employee workload and cognitive performance in Industry 5.0 manufacturing settings, with the aim of identifying research gaps and establishing a theoretical basis for further empirical research. Review of 19 peer-reviewed articles, selected form databases including Scopus, MDPI and ResearchGate, covering the period 2015 – 2026. The findings indicate that physical and mental stress has significant impact on cognitive performance. Conversely, structured rest breaks, ergonomic improvements, physical activity and stress management practices demonstrate measurable positive effects on cognitive function. The results confirm the importance of human-centred workload management within manufacturing environment and highlight the requirement for integrated approach to address human as well as technological factors in the sustainable manufacturing environment.

Keywords: Physical Load, Stress, Cognitive Abilities, Human Factors, Industry 5.0

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007797