Digital Transformation and Employee Satisfaction: A Comparative and Interdisciplinary Study of Industrial Relations at Rourkela Steel Plant

Abstract This study investigates the impact of both traditional and digital industrial relations policies on employee satisfaction at Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), integrating insights from behavioral economics and organizational psychology. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys (n=200) and interviews (n=20), the study reveals that traditional policies (β=0.62) and digital interventions (β=0.48) significantly enhance employee satisfaction, mediated by fairness perceptions and fulfillment of psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Demographic variables and levels of automation further moderate these relationships. A comparative analysis with Bhilai and Tata Steel Plants highlights RSP’s strengths in employee welfare, while also revealing lag in digital adoption and innovation. Key recommendations include strengthening digital grievance redressal mechanisms, enhancing e-training initiatives, and fostering participatory decision-making. The study contributes to industrial relations literature by providing interdisciplinary perspectives and actionable strategies for improving employee satisfaction in the context of digital transformation within the heavy industrial sector.The study contributes to industrial relations literature by integrating interdisciplinary theories—Dunlop’s Systems Theory, Social Exchange Theory, Self-Determination Theory, and Nudge Theory—offering practical strategies for balancing tradition with digital transformation in heavy industries.