The Role of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Evaluating Employee Well-Being During Digital Technology Implementation: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Manufacturing organizations have adopted Industry 4.0 and introduced digital technologies to improve productivity and efficiency, as well as support sustainability goals as presented in Industry 5.0. Adopting digital technology will require employees to interact with these technologies to improve performance, enhance safety, and meet productivity goals. When integrating digital technologies into manufacturing work systems, it is critical to identify and mitigate risks to employee well-being. Method: The author conducted a systematic literature review focusing on a human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) approach to examine how studies measure employee well-being when introducing digital technologies. Results: Approximately 75% of the studies focus on physical and cognitive ergonomics, which evaluate the design of specific digital technologies and measure the physical risks and mental load impact on employee well-being. The studies also show that many widely accepted evaluation methodologies and tools exist to examine the physical and cognitive ergonomic aspects. However, limited research in organizational ergonomics considers the socio-technical systems in which employees interact. As a result, there are limited frameworks that provide comprehensive HF/E guidance on evaluating, designing, and implementing digital technologies to support employee well-being. Conclusions: Future research could benefit from more empirical research on the impacts of organizational human factors and ergonomic strategies on employee well-being. This includes identifying standardized methods and key organizational factors that support employee well-being. Additionally, as organizations increasingly implement digital technologies and seek to focus on worker well-being, further research would benefit from a comprehensive examination of physical, cognitive, and organizational ergonomic aspects.