Working With Robots: How Robot Proportion in Human-Robot Teams and Robot Anthropomorphism Shape Employee Turnover Intention
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Although robots are increasingly reshaping organizational workflows, how the robot proportion in human–robot teams affects employees’ turnover intention remains underexplored. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we examine whether, why, and when robot proportion exerts divergent effects on turnover intention through two pathways: resource gain and resource loss. Evidence from a scenario-based experiment (Study 1, N = 290) and a threewave field study (Study 2, N = 306) reveals that these two pathways operate in opposing directions. Specifically, work goal progress and work loneliness mediate the relationship between robot proportion in human–robot teams and turnover intention. Robot anthropomorphism further moderates these pathways: higher anthropomorphism strengthens the beneficial effect on work goal progress, whereas lower anthropomorphism amplifies the detrimental effect on work loneliness. This study offers initial evidence on how the structural composition of human–robot teams shapes employees’ turnover intention, and it provides practical implications for organizations deploying robotic coworkers.
Authors: Li, J., Wang, Y., Wang, Z., Song, L.J.
Institutions: East China Normal University, Tongling University
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7223635366