Automation, the changing task content of jobs, and marital plans in Czechia

Dominika Sladká () and Anna Matysiak ()
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Dominika Sladká: Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University
Anna Matysiak: Interdisciplinary Center for Labour Market and Family Dynamics (LabFam), University of Warsaw

No 2025-13, Working Papers from Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw

Abstract: As labour-replacing technologies, such as industrial robots and AI-driven automats, alter the structure of labour demand, the task content of occupations has emerged as an increasingly important indicator of socioeconomic position. This study explores how exposure to job automation influences short-term marital intentions, using data from 1,345 respondents in the Czech Household Panel Survey (2015–2019) and occupational measures derived from the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) Database. Our findings reveal a gendered pattern: men employed in highly routine-intensive occupations—indicative of greater vulnerability to automation—are more likely to report no plans to marry. Conversely, women in similar jobs are more likely to express positive marital intentions. These results highlight how technological change not only alters labour market outcomes but also shapes demographic behaviours through the lens of gender norms. The study contributes to broader debates on the interplay between socioeconomic disadvantage and family formation, suggesting that automation may be contributing to a growing group of ‘non-marriageable’ men. As technological change continues to transform the labour markets, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, the number of individuals at risk of both economic and relational marginalization may further expand.

Keywords: task content of jobs; marital plans; marriage; gender roles; Czechia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J10 J11 J12 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 48 pages
Date: 2025
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eur, nep-lab and nep-tra
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