The impact of digitalization on the autonomy of public service employees : Pôle emploi advisors fighting for the recognition of their professional skills

This article examines the impact of the digitization policy implemented at Pôle emploi−the French national agency responsible for providing compensation and support to employees who have involuntarily lost their jobs−on the work of its advisors, specifically looking at the level of autonomy they have in assisting jobseekers. Qualitative in nature, the data collected results from observations made in the different branches of Pôle emploi, 25 individual semi-directive interviews and a dozen group interviews. Referring to labor process theory, we analyze the discourse and practices of Pôle emploi advisors, and in particular their criticisms of digitalization regarding the standardization of their work and making it possible to support jobseekers remotely, without a face-to-face relationship, through entirely dematerialized procedures, or even support without any advisor being involved, which is so far rare but technically conceivable. Our results also highlight the ambiguity of the impact of digital tools, as some advisors point to the benefits that digitalization can bring in improving the quality of their work and increasing their room for maneuver. This observation leads us to discuss the conditions of use of digital tools, and to distinguish between situations that could usefully lead to a digital standardization of activities, and those which should enable advisors to retain their autonomy of judgment, to better provide support to jobseekers.