The impact of robotics awareness on workers’ protective job preservation and voice: the moderating role of age

Purpose With the rapid advancement of intelligent technology, manufacturing workers’ voices may hold inestimable value. However, holding a “Smart Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Algorithms” (STARA) replacement perspective, many workers may be reluctant or hostile toward intelligent robots, and their voice may also be affected under certain circumstances. Given the current lack of research on workers’ moderate defensive responses, we draw upon the conservation of resources (COR) theory and propose a moderated mediation model to examine how and when robotics awareness influences workers’ promotive and prohibitive voice. Design/methodology/approach A multi-wave, multi-source survey using 462 worker–supervisor paired data gathered from numerous Chinese manufacturing industries was conducted. Findings Our results highlight that robotics awareness is positively related to workers’ protective job preservation, which in turn reduces their voice behaviors. Moreover, older workers are more likely to choose protective job preservation and less likely to speak up. Originality/value This study contributes to the STARA literature by proposing a fresh mediation path and its subsequent outcomes and enriches the understanding of the factors that result in varying attitudes of workers toward robotics. It offers valuable insights for manufacturers to guide workers to maintain a positive attitude toward robotics and encourage workers to speak up actively at work.