Exploring the affordances of service robots and the effects on frontline employees in China: a qualitative research in hotels

What is it about?

Hotel employees are now collaborating more frequently with service robots in frontline tasks, the relationship between employees and robots will be further deepened. Therefore, we explored the positive aspects of service robots, especially their affordances and effects on frontline employees in hotels. The research results indicate that service robots can provide frontline employees with six types of affordances, namely physical, sensory, task, safety, social, and emotional affordances. The effects of these affordances on the psychology and behavior of frontline employees were identified. Furthermore, a mechanistic framework was revealed through which service robot affordances influence frontline employees via direct and indirect interactions between frontline employees and service robots.

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