A new era of work in the automotive industry: technology alone is not enough, job redesign is decisive

Today, the automotive industry in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is investing heavily in artificial intelligence, automation and digital tools. Approximately 60% of companies in the region are already actively dealing with how to effectively connect the work of people and technology. However, experience from projects in practice shows that the adoption of technology alone does not bring the expected impact on productivity or performance.

The main reason for this is the way these technologies are implemented – recently, 93% of investments are mainly directed towards technology, while only 7% are targeted at people and adoption. Companies often introduce technological innovations into existing processes without fundamentally changing the way they work. This difference in approach is what separates companies that truly benefit from technology investments from those where their full potential remains untapped.

At the same time, it is clear from the practice of automotive production how significant an impact technology can have if it is associated with a targeted change of job. For example, one manufacturer has replaced classic scanning guns with lightweight wearable devices that workers use continuously during production. In an environment where approximately 1,000 vehicles are produced daily, each requiring around 1,000 scanning operations, this change led not only to faster processes but also to a significant improvement in ergonomics and working conditions. Technology was not an isolated tool, but a driver of change in how work itself is performed.

Companies that systematically invest in additive manufacturing report similar experience. 3D printing enables them to significantly accelerate prototyping while also expanding the possibilities for testing different solution variants. In projects where this approach was combined with changes to the work environment and active employee involvement in the innovation process, the positive impact was reflected not only in output quality but also in operator satisfaction. Technology once again acted as a catalyst for broader change, not as a standalone initiative.

These experiences confirm a broader trend: technology alone does not increase performance. The key lies in how fundamentally it transforms people’s daily work and how well it is integrated into the work environment. Yet only a limited number of companies focus on this area, leaving considerable potential untapped.

The importance of job redesign is further amplified by the context in which automotive companies operate today. Transformation is taking place in a high-pressure environment – the combination of efficiency demands, labour shortages, and limited workforce capacity means that any change must be carefully managed. If new technologies are introduced without adapting the way work is performed, they may be perceived by employees as an additional burden rather than support.

Successful organizations therefore take a more comprehensive approach to transformation. They do not start with the selection of technology, but with the question of what the work should look like in the future. Based on this, they then adjust roles, processes and skill requirements before selecting a suitable technological solution. An integral part of this approach is also managing adoption – ensuring that employees actually use new tools and understand their benefits.

This is precisely where the success of technology investments is determined today. Companies that successfully connect technological transformation with changes in the way people work and with a positive employee experience achieve higher performance and stronger employee engagement.

The automotive sector has strong prerequisites for such an approach. It benefits from technological maturity and extensive experience in process optimization. At the same time, however, companies face a decision whether to remain at the level of implementing individual tools or to move towards transforming work as a whole.

This is where the space opens up for structured management of the entire transformation. Our experience from transformation projects shows that the greatest value comes from an approach that connects all key areas – from defining the target work setup, through the selection and implementation of technologies, to systematic support of employee adoption. Only in this way can companies ensure that investments in technology deliver the expected impact.

Deloitte has long helped organizations deliver complex transformation programs that go beyond technology implementation. We focus on embedding change into day-to-day operations and ensuring that employees are both able and willing to adopt new tools and ways of working. By combining expertise in strategy, technology solutions, and work redesign, we help organizations realize the full value of their investments.

The future of automotive will not be determined by who introduces more digital tools. What will be decisive is the ability to integrate technology into work in a way that increases performance, simplifies processes, and at the same time strengthens the role of people. Companies that approach this change systematically will gain not only higher productivity but also a long-term competitive advantage.