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Robotics are being incorporated into hotel services at an increasing rate, including concierge assistance, luggage handling, check in procedures, and room service delivery. These developments also create challenges for employees. Those with a “zero sum mindset,” who view resources and opportunities as limited, may perceive highly intelligent robots as competitors. This perception can reduce employees’ willingness to collaborate effectively with robotic technologies.

Dan Jin, assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management, explores this issue in her first authored article, “Improving employee robot collaboration in hospitality: Understanding the zero sum mindset,” published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management in 2025.

Jin and her collaborators conducted a three part study examining how robot intelligence influences employees’ willingness to collaborate. Specifically, they investigated how employees’ zero sum mindset shapes their responses to robots with different levels of intelligence, whether organizational advocacy campaigns can influence those responses, and whether involving employees in robot task design can improve collaboration.

The authors found that employees with a strong zero sum mindset respond differently depending on a robot’s intelligence level. They are more willing to collaborate with low intelligence robots but are more likely to perceive highly intelligent robots as competitors. The researchers also found that advocacy campaigns can help employees view robots less as threats and more as valuable workplace resources. Finally, involving employees in robot task design increased their willingness to collaborate with service robots.

As the authors conclude, “The findings underscore the need to address employees’ competitive mindset and employ effective communication strategies for successful employee robot collaboration in the hotel industry.”

View the paper published by International Journal of Hospitality Management in 2025: “Improving employee robot collaboration in hospitality: Understanding the zero sum mindset.”