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Displaced or depressed? Working in automatable jobs and mental health

Author

Listed:
  • Sylvie Blasco
  • Julie Rochut
  • Benedicte Rouland

Abstract

Automation may destroy jobs and change the labor demand structure, thereby potentially impacting workers' mental health. Implementing propensity score matching on French individual survey data, we find that working in an automatable job is associated with a 3 pp increase in the probability of suffering from mental disorders. Fear of automation through fear of job loss, expectation of a required change in skills, and fear of unwanted job mobility seem to be relevant channels to explain the findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Sylvie Blasco & Julie Rochut & Benedicte Rouland, 2025. "Displaced or depressed? Working in automatable jobs and mental health," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(1), pages 40-76, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:indres:v:64:y:2025:i:1:p:40-76
    DOI: 10.1111/irel.12356
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Mariia Vasiakina & Christian Dudel, 2026. "From Efficiency to Illness: Do Highly Automatable Jobs Take a Toll on Health in Germany?," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 297-308, July.
    3. Lamperti, Fabio & Castellani, Davide, 2026. "Automation and the risk of labor market exclusion across Europe," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 62-76.

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