**5. Employment relations**

One of the biggest lingering questions is about how future relationships will look as technology keeps coming into the workplace. How will relationships evolve as robots, automation, and artificial intelligence become more common in the workplace? How do workers feel about these changes? Although workers may feel better about technology in the workplace, there is concerns about how automation, robots, and AI will affect work and employment relations [3]. There has been less discussion on what happens to the jobs and experiences of workers in flexible employment relationships (e.g. temporary agency work and other forms of subcontracted labor, as well as new forms of working, such as in the gig economy) [34]. Gig workers can be classified into crowd workers, who are completing and delivering tasks online—location independent, and work-on-demand workers, who are completing and delivering tasks offline—location-dependent (although it is location dependent the work is not inevitably performed on-site and hence still shows location flexibility) [34].

Digital transformation and the reorganisation of the firm have given rise to new forms of work that diverge significantly from the standard employment relationship [35]. The fourth industrial revolution does not only bring change to future world of work but such change comes with significant threats and opportunities to the relationship between employment relations stakeholders [36]. Employment relations is a dynamic matter and therefore needs constant attention to ensure harmony and productivity [12]. When employers, employees and trade unions or other employee representatives work together in a relationship of mutual trust, difficulties can be discussed and sorted out before they become problems, productivity and profitability can be increased with greater rewards for the workforce [37]. The key to this advantage is partnership and this partnership can be a positive force for generating ideas, reacting quickly and making optimum use of the skill and knowledge of workforce and management alike [37].

How workers engage in new forms of employment relations can be very challenging for employers [38]. Briken [39] raise a concern that the digitalisation of workspaces may influence the relations between the employer and employee. HR will need to help assess which tasks throughout the organisation can be automated and then reskill those whose jobs are affected by automation [1]. This may have an effect on employment relations. Any successful business requires trusted relationships. However, traditional ways of growing and nurturing networks —conferences, coffee meetups, and more—are not options in many workplaces these days, at least at the beginning of this year. HR must assist with the adapting to new ways of facilitating relationships and creating cohesive teams in less-than-ideal circumstances [29].

**Practical recommendations to improve employment relations:**

