Preparing for predictive maintenance: Employee perspectives on job demands and resources before and after its implementation

Abstract

Predictive maintenance (PdM) technologies promise to be valuable resources for maintenance employees. However, employees often view these technologies with skepticism. We conducted 35 interviews with maintenance employees at three different organizations to gauge their perspectives on PdM implementation. Using Job Demands-Resources theory and Carayon's Work System model as frameworks, we explored per work domain which demands (hindering work characteristics) and resources (facilitating work characteristics) employees experience under their current, non-PdM working procedures and what they expect to experience under PdM. The results show that employees currently view their decision-support system and organization as demands; however, they expect both to become resources under PdM. Nevertheless, employees express concerns that PdM may undermine their job autonomy and expertise, and they warn of the potential negative effects of false alarms generated by PdM technologies. Organizations can use these insights to (re)design PdM systems, thereby improving the acceptance and effectiveness of PdM technologies.