Employee–robot relationship typology: the role of robot agency, communion and competence

Purpose Service robots are reshaping traditional workplace relations in the modern workforce. This study aims to examine the types of employee–robot relationships and their underlying antecedents. Design/methodology/approach The research used a mixed-methods approach, beginning with an exploratory semi-structured interview (Study 1; n = 12) with employees working with robots in restaurant settings, followed by a scenario-based experiment (Study 2; n = 347) with participants from the service industry. The aim was to investigate employees’ perceptions of their relationships with robot co-workers and examine the factors that trigger these relationships. Finding The study identified four relationships (collaborative, competitive, supplementary and complementary). Competence is a foundational expectation for forming positive relationships, while agency is a paradoxical indicator; communion alone is insufficient, yet its interplay with competence marks the tipping point for collaborative and supplementary relationships. A competitive relationship is mainly driven by agency and can be mitigated by employee self-efficacy, whereas a complementary relationship is based on competence. Practical Implications Developers and managers may consider robots’ agency, communion and competence when designing robots and jobs. Human resources managers can enhance workplace relations by training employees and assessing robots’ dynamics, relationship types and quality; furthermore, policymakers may consider behavioral and relational dynamics in ethical design guidelines. Originality/Value This study examines employee–robot relationships from an organizational behavior perspective and a sociotechnical lens – an underexplored area in employee–robot interaction – thereby expanding our understanding of modern workplace relations and extending social cognition theory.