Work

Service robots and productivity: findings from a worker survey

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines the utilization of robots in the workplace and their productivity effects, based on a survey of Japanese workers. It presents previously unexplored facts on the use of service robots and their productivity impacts in comparison with those of industrial robots. The results indicate that the robot utilization rate was 13% in late 2025, and that service robot utilization had increased rapidly. The mean productivity effect of utilizing robots was approximately 7%. The share of tasks performed, labour-saving effect, and productivity effect are slightly larger for industrial robots than for service robots, but the differences are quantitatively small.

Source: Applied Economics Letters

DOI: 10.1080/13504851.2026.2691968

Author: Masayuki Morikawa

Institutions: Hitotsubashi University, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan Society for the Promotion of Machine Industry

Language: English

Topic: Labor market dynamics and wage inequality

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science