Anthropocentric Workplaces of the Future Approached through a New Holistic Vision

Abstract

The human dimension is growing in importance in the cul- tural and scientific debate surrounding the arising of workplace and fac- tory of the future visions. Having people at the centre of the factory is already recognized as a main enabler for making the most out of their skills and capacities while at the same time achieving an environment that can both motivate employed workers and attract new skilled ones. The present paper proposes a novel concept aimed at defining new so- cially sustainable workplaces that adapt to workers' anthropometric di- mensions within worker-aware production systems that are designed and operated to capitalize on workers' skills and experience while at the same time promoting their development. Moreover it envisions the integration of the factory in the social and environmental context by promoting the creation and provision of worker-centric services that turn the factory from a society-affecting entity into an integration-promotion body. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014.