The Impact of Digitalisation and Automation on China’s Workforce: What Does the Future Hold?

China’s rapid technological progress is highly impacting the country’s workforce: QR codes are replacing restaurant waiters, autonomous vehicles are assuming the roles of taxi drivers, robots are working in hotels, while unmanned supermarkets are emerging on street corners. When examining these developments, certain questions arise: What are the implications of an ageing population, a disillusioned youth, and the aftermath of COVID -19? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the digital transformation? How is the world’s largest workforce transitioning, and what are the challenges it is encountering? As the concept of work is undergoing profound changes, and a new digital industrial revolution is evolving, this article explores the current developments in the areas of digitalisation and automation in China. Furthermore, it takes a closer look at the questions that arise for the future and reveals key learnings that Europe can apply to its own digital transformation pertaining to work.