Workplace innovation in the digital era: a role for SMART work design

COVID-19 has accelerated the use of digital technologies in work. Most often, digital technology is implemented in a technocentric manner, with little proactive attention to human issues. We propose that principles from work design can be used as criteria in the design and use of digital technology to better incorporate human needs whilst also helping to ensure an agile and adaptive system. Specifically, we draw on the SMART work design model, which proposes that high-quality work design has the following elements: Stimulating (work in which one uses and develops one’s skills, has variety and challenge, etc.), Mastery-Oriented (work in which one is clear about one’s responsibilities and receives feedback), Agentic (work in which one has autonomy, control, and influence over important aspects of one’s work), Relational (work in which one has social contact, support, and connection), and Tolerable (work in which the emotional, cognitive, workload and physical demands are experienced as manageable). Based on this model, we identify criteria for the design, as well as the commissioning, purchasing, and implementation of technology to help ensure both quality work and the effective use of technology. We propose the use of this approach as a helpful participative mechanism for supporting workplace innovation (WPI) in the digital era, and for extending the emphasis of WPI to more readily encompass technical innovation.