42% of Italian workers say they feel replaceable by machines or artificial intelligence. This is what emerges from the FragilItalia «Lavoro» report, which analyzes perceptions, expectations and critical issues related to work in our country, created by Area Studi Legacoop in collaboration with Ipsos, based on the results of a survey conducted on a representative sample of the Italian population. From the report, produced in view of May Day, it emerges more generally that on the one hand, the overall level of satisfaction remains high: 81% of employed people declare themselves satisfied with their work in general. 49% would describe their job as demanding, 31% dynamic, 26% stressful. However, this overall satisfaction coexists with clear signs of discomfort and fragility. One of the most relevant elements concerns the sense of substitutability: 42% of those interviewed say they feel replaceable by machines or artificial intelligence (13% constantly, 29% often).
The perception is a growing sense of precariousness
A perception that highlights a growing sense of precariousness, not necessarily linked to the immediate loss of work, but rather to its transformation. At the same time, a widespread difficulty emerges in finding meaning in one’s job: 33% declare that they feel at least occasionally that their work lacks meaning or purpose, while 16% experience this sensation frequently. A fact that is also reflected in the perception, expressed by 28% of those interviewed, of feeling not at all or little involved in decisions regarding their business. «The relationship between people and work – explains Simone Gamberini, president of Legacoop – is going through a phase of profound transformation. Work continues to be central, but it is no longer enough on its own to guarantee fulfillment and well-being. The feeling of replaceability and the growing need for participation is striking: people ask to be involved, recognized and valued. The cooperative model can offer a concrete answer, because it puts people and work, the quality of relationships and the sharing of decisions at the centre.”