Upskilling, reskilling, or deskilling? Welfare technology and job satisfaction in care work
Abstract
Background: The introduction of welfare technology can lead to different forms of skill change, but little is known about how specific uses relate to care workers’ job satisfaction. The aim is to examine (1) which aspects of welfare technology use contribute to care workers’ experiences of upskilling, reskilling, and deskilling, and (2) how these experiences are related to job satisfaction.
Methods: A repeated cross-sectional survey of assistant nurses (2024, N = 1,163; 2025, N = 1,216) was analyzed. Independent variables captured whether welfare technology use contributed to user-centered effects, work organization, and working conditions. Dependent variable was job satisfaction. Associations were examined using logistic and linear regression.
Results: Experiences of upskilling are associated with positive aspects of work, such as increased continuity of care (OR 2,61, p<.001) and participation for care recipients (OR 2,01, p=.002), opportunities to learn new things (OR 3,26, p<.001), and involvement in the development of work practices (OR 1,56, p=.019). Reskilling displays a similar positive pattern, but also increased communication with supervisors (OR 1,91, p=.006) and enhanced collaboration and coordination among colleagues (OR 1,82, p=.007). Experiences of deskilling are associated with more monotonous work (OR 3,82, p<.001) and an increased work pace. Upskilling (β = 0.487, p<.001) and reskilling (β = 0.352, p=.005) are positively associated with job satisfaction, whereas deskilling shows a clear negative association (β=- 0.416, p<.001).
Conclusions: Care workers’ experiences of what welfare technology contributes to play a significant role in shaping skill development, supporting upskilling and reskilling or contributing to deskilling. Up-and reskilling is linked to higher job satisfaction and more meaningful work, while deskilling is associated with more monotonous tasks and poorer working conditions.
Key messages: • How welfare technology is used in to care workers’ daily work matters: they can enhance care workers’ skills and job satisfaction, or lead to deskilling and poorer working conditions.
• Welfare technology that supports upskilling and reskilling is linked to higher job satisfaction, while technology contributing to deskilling is linked to more monotonous work
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BibTeX
@article{nordlander2026upskilling,
title = {{Upskilling, reskilling, or deskilling? Welfare technology and job satisfaction in care work}},
author = {E Nordlander and D Dellve and S Frennert and M Naseer and K Skagert},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.332},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.332},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Upskilling, reskilling, or deskilling? Welfare technology and job satisfaction in care work
AU - E Nordlander
AU - D Dellve
AU - S Frennert
AU - M Naseer
AU - K Skagert
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.332
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.332
AB - Background: The introduction of welfare technology can lead to different forms of skill change, but little is known about how specific uses relate to care workers’ job satisfaction. The aim is to examine (1) which aspects of welfare technology use contribute to care workers’ experiences of upskilling, reskilling, and deskilling, and (2) how these experiences are related to job satisfaction. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional survey of assistant nurses (2024, N = 1,163; 2025, N = 1,216) was analyzed. Independent variables captured whether welfare technology use contributed to user-centered effects, work organization, and working conditions. Dependent variable was job satisfaction. Associations were examined using logistic and linear regression. Results: Experiences of upskilling are associated with positive aspects of work, such as increased continuity of care (OR 2,61, p<.001) and participation for care recipients (OR 2,01, p=.002), opportunities to learn new things (OR 3,26, p<.001), and involvement in the development of work practices (OR 1,56, p=.019). Reskilling displays a similar positive pattern, but also increased communication with supervisors (OR 1,91, p=.006) and enhanced collaboration and coordination among colleagues (OR 1,82, p=.007). Experiences of deskilling are associated with more monotonous work (OR 3,82, p<.001) and an increased work pace. Upskilling (β = 0.487, p<.001) and reskilling (β = 0.352, p=.005) are positively associated with job satisfaction, whereas deskilling shows a clear negative association (β=- 0.416, p<.001). Conclusions: Care workers’ experiences of what welfare technology contributes to play a significant role in shaping skill development, supporting upskilling and reskilling or contributing to deskilling. Up-and reskilling is linked to higher job satisfaction and more meaningful work, while deskilling is associated with more monotonous tasks and poorer working conditions. Key messages: • How welfare technology is used in to care workers’ daily work matters: they can enhance care workers’ skills and job satisfaction, or lead to deskilling and poorer working conditions. • Welfare technology that supports upskilling and reskilling is linked to higher job satisfaction, while technology contributing to deskilling is linked to more monotonous work
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -