Managing Robots and People: Navigating Restaurant Managerial Roles Amid Changing Job Characteristics
Paper Number
ICIS2025-1514
Paper Type
Short
Abstract
The recent adoption of robots in the workplace has shifted managerial roles and responsibilities. This paper focuses on managerial responses in restaurants, a service industry renowned for its interpersonal relationships. Utilizing the Job Characteristics Model, this study examines how the evolving roles of managers result from changes in job characteristics, based on 60 structured interviews. Major findings include: (1) robots enable managers to optimize workloads toward organizational responsibilities rather than tedious, time-consuming tasks; (2) managers are empowered to redirect their attention to leadership tasks; and (3) robot integration transforms the value of tasks for long-term financial stability. However, managers caution that technological demands and reduced customer interaction may increase, rather than alleviate, stress. The findings underscore the importance of shifting managerial roles that prioritize the delegation of employees’ workloads, fostering interpersonal connections, and reconfiguring value systems.
Recommended Citation
Masterson, Annette; Bhatti, Samia Cornelius; and Robert, Lionel Peter Jr, "Managing Robots and People: Navigating Restaurant Managerial Roles Amid Changing Job Characteristics" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 7.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/general_topic/general_topic/7
Managing Robots and People: Navigating Restaurant Managerial Roles Amid Changing Job Characteristics
The recent adoption of robots in the workplace has shifted managerial roles and responsibilities. This paper focuses on managerial responses in restaurants, a service industry renowned for its interpersonal relationships. Utilizing the Job Characteristics Model, this study examines how the evolving roles of managers result from changes in job characteristics, based on 60 structured interviews. Major findings include: (1) robots enable managers to optimize workloads toward organizational responsibilities rather than tedious, time-consuming tasks; (2) managers are empowered to redirect their attention to leadership tasks; and (3) robot integration transforms the value of tasks for long-term financial stability. However, managers caution that technological demands and reduced customer interaction may increase, rather than alleviate, stress. The findings underscore the importance of shifting managerial roles that prioritize the delegation of employees’ workloads, fostering interpersonal connections, and reconfiguring value systems.
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