From Digital Job Resources to Workplace Attachment: Understanding Intelligent Automation Acceptance among Airport Employees

In recent years, airport operations have undergone a profound transformation driven by the large-scale integration of intelligent automation technologies.Digital systems such as biometric access control, self-service check-in solutions, AI-supported maintenance platforms, automated baggage processes, and interactive navigation tools are no longer experimental but embedded in the everyday functioning of airports.These technologies are widely promoted as key enablers of operational reliability, process standardization, and improved service quality in complex and time-sensitive environments (Borysiuk & Bugayko, 2025).At the same time, their diffusion has fundamentally reshaped the nature of work for airport employees, whose tasks, responsibilities, and interactions are increasingly mediated by automated systems.Despite the widespread adoption of intelligent automation, prior research has primarily emphasized performance and efficiency, with limited attention to employees' acceptance and workplace-related attitudes (Scholze & Hecker, 2024).From an employee perspective, intelligent automation can primarily function as a digital job resource, supporting autonomy, perceived efficiency, and collaboration in daily work activities.This perspective aligns with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, which emphasizes the motivational role of job resources in shaping positive work-related attitudes and outcomes (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017).In parallel, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) provides a well-established lens for explaining how perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness influence employees' acceptance of digital technologies (Davis, 1989).Although both frameworks are highly relevant, empirical studies integrating JD-R-focused specifically on digital job resources-and TAM to explain not only technology acceptance but also employees' attachment to the workplace in highly automated settings remain limited.