Leveraging Automation: A Case Study on Employee Job Crafting

Automation technologies are increasingly reshaping organisational processes and workforce dynamics. This research investigates how employees engage in job crafting behaviour following the implementation of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) in organisational settings. Informed by qualitative interviews conducted in a global food manufacturing company, the study explores three dimensions of job crafting: task crafting, relational crafting, and cognitive crafting. The findings highlight task crafting as employees reshape their roles, reallocating time from routine tasks to more analytical and strategic activities. Conversely, relational crafting appears minimally affected, with RPA seen as enhancing task efficiency while preserving existing interpersonal dynamics. Furthermore, employees demonstrate cognitive crafting by optimistically embracing RPA to envision future automation enhancements that elevate job meaningfulness and broaden responsibilities. This study provides theoretical contributions by integrating automation and job crafting theory to better understand the impact of automation on job design. Moreover, it offers practical insights for organisations and employees seeking to effectively leverage technology to enhance workforce capabilities and adaptation strategies.