Employee autonomy as a global trend and resource in the Industry 5.0 paradigm
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DOIhttps://doi.org/10.21511/gg.07(1).2026.03
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Article InfoVolume 7 2026, Issue #1, pp. 27-43
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Type of the article: Research Article
The relevance of the study stems from the transformation of modern work models from the technologically oriented Industry 4.0 paradigm to the human-centric Industry 5.0, where employee autonomy is emerging and becoming established as a global trend. The paper aims to conceptualize employee autonomy as an economic resource by optimizing work–life balance and assessing its impact on productivity and population well-being. For the analysis, panel data were collected for 123 countries over the period 2005–2023. The methodological basis of the study is the Levin–Lin–Chu unit root test, the Breusch–Pagan Lagrangian multiplier test, the Hausman specification test, and GLS regression estimation. The study found that, on average, in the group of accessible countries, each additional 100 hours worked per year reduces labor productivity by USD 2 per hour. An increase of one hour in the working year reduces GDP per capita by USD 28.48 per person.
Furthermore, a one percent increase in the length of the working year is associated with a 2.71 percent drop in GDP per capita per hour. Thus, productivity in the Industry 5.0 paradigm at the global level is predominantly qualitative and is shaped by focus, intrinsic motivation, and decentralized decision-making, rather than by increasing working hours. It is concluded that worker autonomy is an economically significant factor in enhancing productivity, innovation potential, and contributing to the geopolitical and geoeconomic sustainability of societies in the era of globalization.
Acknowledgments
The paper is prepared within the scientific research projects “Digital transformations to ensure civil protection and post-war economic recovery in the face of environmental and social challenges” (No. 0124U000549) and “Fundamental grounds for Ukraine’s transition to a digital economy based on the implementation of Industries 3.0; 4.0; 5.0” (No. 0124U000576).
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JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)J24, J81, M12, O33
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References54
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Tables6
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Figures3
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- Figure 1. Conceptual transition from technology-centric to human-centric work systems
- Figure 2. Conceptual logic of the 100-80-100 model: Autonomy as a compensatory mechanism for reduced working hours
- Figure 3. Distribution of companies by industry that have implemented a 4-day work week
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- Table 1. Dimensions of autonomy as an economic resource in Industry 5.0
- Table 2. Mechanisms through which autonomy affects productivity and innovation
- Table 3. Autonomy-based work models in the transition to Industry 5.0
- Table 4. Assessment of the impact of working hours on labor productivity (GDP per capita per hour worked) in a group of 123 countries for 2005–2023
- Table 5. Assessment of the impact of working hours on labor productivity (GDP per capita per hour worked) in a group of 123 countries for 2005–2023
- Table 6. Countries’ experience in implementing a 4-day workweek
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