Well-Intended but Badly Done—Digitalization in the Skilled Craft Sector Betwixt Competition and Employees’ Interests

Digitalization in terms of an economic transformation is still largely associated with industry-specific sectors. Skilled crafts firms, like joineries and carpentries are considered to be falling behind due to a lack of resources. However, demand for craft services is increasing. This development, combined with a shortage of skilled workers, make the use of digital technologies increasingly important. But for now, we know little about how firms actually manage digitalization processes and how it impacts their work.

The paper analyzes changing working practices in craft enterprises in Germany, focusing on how the introduction of digital technologies is affecting work and employees. Using the example of two contrasting case studies in German joineries, conducted in 2023/24, the paper presents findings from interviews with employers and workers. Using content analysis, I investigate technical and organizational transformations in relation to business strategies and the production model.

The findings indicate that digitalization has both positive and negative effects on workers in the two craft companies: While, in one company, the implementation of a digital workflow management system increased efficiency and productivity, it also intensified work and boosted management control. In the other case, the simulation of cutting processes enhanced workers’ responsiveness and production line flexibility.

In spite of this difference, a certain workers attitude towards their job and the company for which they are working can be observed in both cases: Employees were not afraid to criticize the owners. However, in the interviews, they expressed a high degree of loyalty and understanding towards them. These relationships can be an obstacle when implementing digital technologies, but they can also be a source of strength for the management.

The paper concludes with reflections on the specificity of digitalization comparison to other sectors and proposes a nuanced approach that considers the interests of employees and workers.