Our Past Events

The future of robotics in the hospitality and tourism industries took center stage at a highly engaging symposium on March 27th at Rosen College, University of Central Florida, which brought together key stakeholders, including Bear Robotics, hospitality industry professionals, and academic experts from hospitality, organizational psychology, and industrial engineering, along with students from the Targeted Research Training Sunshine ERC (TRT) program. This dynamic gathering sparked a multifaceted discussion on the potential of robotics to reshape the industry. The symposium explored how robots could take on repetitive, physically demanding tasks, such as cleaning, check-ins, and room service, allowing employees to focus on more customer-centric roles, reducing physical strain and boosting job satisfaction. However, the discussions also highlighted concerns about job displacement and the critical need for workforce reskilling. By fostering collaboration among academia, industry leaders, and students, the event underscored the importance of integrating robotics thoughtfully and strategically, aiming to create a future where automation and human involvement work harmoniously to enhance operational efficiency and worker well-being in the hospitality sector.

List of Student Poster Presenters

Ady Cohen, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology MS Program

• Project Title: Balancing Work, Well-being, and Psychological Needs in a Technological Society
• Email contact: adysen.cohen@ucf.edu

Hannah Crandell, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: At Risk by Design: How Technology Shapes Employee Job Insecurity Over Time
• Abstract: Experts and popular press outlets alike predicted large-scale layoffs in a number of industries (e.g., finance, telecommunications, health care, construction) over the latter half of 2023 (e.g., Chui et al., 2023; De Vynck et al., 2023; Kelly, 2023). A three-wave, qualitative data collection was used to explore perceived causes of job insecurity among employees working in these sectors in September 2023, December 2023, and March 2024. Thematic coding of research participants’ open-ended responses revealed the increasing role of artificial intelligence, automation, and other technologies in prompting workers’ feelings of job insecurity over the six-month study period. Participants also reported feelings of uncertainty resulting from high-profile layoffs and restructuring events in their respective industries. This study’s qualitative approach allows us to capture the nuanced ways that employees experience job insecurity related to industry and global trends and how these feelings of vulnerability evolve over time. Practical implications of increasing technology-induced job insecurity are discussed.
• Email contact: hannah.crandell@ucf.edu

Madeline Filippi, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: “Implementation Teams” in Implementation Science: Connections to I/O Psychology
• Abstract: Implementation science is a burgeoning domain of the applied sciences aimed at facilitating the introduction and sustainment of best practices backed by basic research, particularly in health care settings. A prominent characteristic of the implementation process is the use of an “implementation team” or a team specifically created to develop, facilitate, and evaluate the implementation of interventions. The purpose of this scoping review is to assess how implementation teams are discussed and team effectiveness constructs from I/O psychology incorporated in implementation science research.
• Email contact: madeline.filippi@ucf.edu

Adam Jacobs, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: Robot Service Quality to Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: The Mediating Roles of State Empathy and Perceived Organizational Support/Obstruction
• Abstract: Research on service robots is currently more conceptual than it is empirical. This thesis leverages resource allocation and social exchange theories to explain how employees choose to expend their resources depending on the functioning of the service robot. I propose that service quality of robots is an important consideration for organizations that adopt service robots, and hypothesize that employee state empathy and support (or obstruction) from their organization links robot service quality to employee organizational citizenship behaviors. The study consisted of 166 participants from two samples who were compensated for participation. Results demonstrated significant indirect effects from robot service quality to organizational citizenship behaviors via state empathy and perceived organizational support. However, results did not support perceived organizational obstruction as a mediator. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and future research directions are then discussed.
• Email contact: adam.jacobs@ucf.edu

Boram Kim, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: Job Crafting Scale for Service Employees: Focusing on the Interpersonal Feature of Their Work
• Abstract: This study proposes an adapted job crafting scale for the hospitality industry, specifically for service employees working with service robots. The adapted scale, consisting of 12 items that emphasize relationship-related factors of job crafting, was measured by 166 service employees. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis indicated no significant differences in factor structure and factor loadings compared to the scale that has also been adapted to the context of service employees working with service robots in general. This study underscores the potential for a tailored job crafting scale in the hospitality sector, redefining the relationship-oriented aspect of job crafting as technology becomes more prevalent.
• Email contact: boram.kim@ucf.edu

Ruby (Hong Ngoc) Nguyen, University of Central Florida, Rosen College of Hospitality Management PhD Program

• Project Title: Exploring Frontline Ambidexterity in Robot Restaurants
• Abstract: In robot restaurant contexts, frontline ambidexterity refers to an employee’s capability to manage conflicting demands between robot-enabled service efficiency and human-centered service quality. The present study seeks to explore frontline ambidexterity behaviors in robot restaurants and how they impact customer behaviors, considering the cross-cultural differences between the United States and Japan robot restaurants. It follows a two-phase qualitative/quantitative naturalistic observational methodology. The first phase includes naturalistic observations of the employee-customer-robot service triad in US and Japan-based robot restaurants. This qualitative data would inform the development of a behavioral coding scheme. In the second phase, the behavioral coding scheme will be utilized for structured observations that facilitate the collection of quantitative data to conduct lagged sequential analysis. This research uniquely contributes by shifting the focus from the top-down employee-robot task allocation to the bottom-up frontline employee ambidexterity, offering a more human-centric perspective within the tech-touch trade-off service literature. Moreover, the cross-cultural analysis between US and Japan robot restaurants could advance the limited literature on cultural nuances in smart services. Methodologically, we are among the first to employ the mixed-method qualitative/quantitative naturalistic observation methodology, which could contribute significantly to the validity and robustness of human-robot interactions studies.
• Email contact: rubynguyen-hnn@ucf.edu

Rujuta Parekar, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: Al in the Workplace: Perceptions and Challenges in the Age of Automation
• Abstract: As AI-driven automation reshapes industries, public perception plays a critical role in its adoption and impact. This study examines public sentiment on AI in the workplace through an analysis of news articles from major media outlets. Using web scraping techniques, articles discussing AI-driven automation and workforce adaptation are collected and categorized. By identifying key themes and trends, this research provides insight into how AI is being portrayed in mainstream media and what it means for the future of work. The findings highlight the evolving narrative around Al adoption, shedding light on both its benefits and challenges in the modern workplace.
• Email contact: ru079969@ucf.edu

Alberly Perez, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: Too Human-like for Comfort: Consumers’ Perceptions of Service Robots
• Abstract: Purpose – This study investigates how consumers’ views and preferences of service robots are impacted by the (a) role of the robot (front-of-house; FOH v. back-of-house; BOH) and (b) the type of robot (i.e., mechanoids (machine-like) v. humanoids (human-like). Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional repeated measures experimental design was used to assess consumers’ perceptions of the human-like characteristics and evaluations of three different server types (human, mechanoid, humanoid) performing FOH and BOH roles. Findings – Results reveal that humanoids were perceived as being more animated and yet disturbing than mechanoids. Mechanoids drove consumers’ intentions to purchase and spend at restaurants that employed robot servers. Human servers earned the most positive consumer evaluations of the three server types. Additionally, consumers were more inclined to purchase at a restaurant utilizing FOH service robots compared with those utilizing BOH robots. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
• Email contact: al106250@ucf.edu

Nathaly Rayo, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology MS Program

• Project Title: Going Green: How Nature Can Support Employee Well-being in the Hospitality Industry
• Abstract: Decades of research have highlighted the positive effects of nature on human health. More recently, research in the management and organizational sciences reveals that incorporating nature into breaks and work settings benefits employee well-being. This poster presents findings from the UCF Resilience Lab, focusing on the application of nature-at-work research to the hospitality industry. Our research, involving 640 participants from 30 states and 20 industries, explored perceptions of different nature break locations, patterns in employee preferences for nature breaks, and how various forms of nature at work influence employee energy.  We offer practical insights for hospitality managers and leaders interested in using nature to enhance employee well-being. These insights help identify which employees benefit most from nature breaks and provide strategies for integrating natural elements to mitigate the effects of work stress.
• Email contact: nathalyrayo@gmail.com

William Tang, University of Central Florida, Psychology (Human Factors Track) BS Program

• Project Title: The New Panopticon Paradigm: Examining Stress and Efficiency Under Different Monitoring Systems and Policies
• Abstract: Employee Performance Monitoring (EPM) systems are hardware/software tools that manage workplace outcomes like productivity and policy compliance. New technology has greatly expanded EPM capabilities. EPM data collection and analysis can be frequent, constant, and applied to novel categories like biometrics. These improvements raise serious concerns regarding privacy, and are known to yield negative behavioral outcomes: stress, organizational distrust, and even deviance, or willful violation of workplace policies. At the same time, the performance benefits are inconclusive and highly situational. Current research suggests that the negative effects of EPM can be mitigated by adopting work policies that adhere to principles of justice and fairness. Our study seeks to determine whether this relationship still holds for new EPM systems. Each participant received three levels of monitoring: no EPM, webcam, and an advanced biometric system, represented by an electroencephalogram (EEG). Participants were split into two treatments and exposed to either a fair or unfair policy explanation for the monitoring they undergo. They completed a vigilance work task and behavioral surveys for each monitoring condition. We will examine any correlations and interaction effects between work efficiency and stress state. 
• Email contact: wi240852@ucf.edu

Josie C. Zachman, University of Central Florida, Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD Program

• Project Title: Working with Service Robots: Excitement and Worries about the Future
• Abstract: Service robots can impact the working experiences of employees. To understand how workers feel about these additions to their workplaces, we asked 166 service industry employees who work with service robots to provide open responses to the following questions: (1) Based on your experience working with service robots, what makes you the most excited about working with service robots in the future? (2) What worries you the most about working with service robots in the future? (3) Is there anything else you would like to share? The results offer insights into the most salient excitements and worries about working with service robots.
• Email contact: jo924086@ucf.edu