A study on the effect of digital transformation on the optimization of labor structure in commercial banks

Purpose Facing digital-era challenges, this study examines how technological innovation reshapes human resource allocation in Chinese commercial banks through workforce restructuring, anchored in skill-biased progress and labor market segmentation theories. Design/methodology/approach Using panel data from Chinese commercial banks (2010–2021), we empirically analyze digital transformation’s (DT) impact on labor structure optimization and its mechanisms. Findings DT significantly optimizes workforce structure by increasing high-skilled labor proportions while reducing low-skilled demand, primarily through business model transformation (online services replacing branches) and competitive intensification. Labor policies exhibit substitutive effects, with heterogeneity across intellectual property protection and marketization levels. Extended analysis shows DT boosts postgraduate and technician demand but reduces overall employment via AI adoption. Originality/value This study systematically reveals the dual-channel labor force optimization mechanism of DT in the banking industry and discusses its broader ecosystem impacts, such as regional agglomeration effects and cross-departmental module transferability. It also explores China’s unique “high agility-strong controllability” regulatory paradigm, which provides an operational framework for innovative governance in emerging economies.