verb
- to reduce the level of skill required to perform a job or task, typically by simplifying procedures or introducing automation
Usage: often used in labor and management contexts; can have negative connotations when referring to workforce changes
Examples
- The factory's new assembly line was designed to deskill the manufacturing process.
- Automation threatens to deskill many traditional trades.
- The company's decision to deskill certain positions reduced labor costs but also worker satisfaction.
- Software updates can deskill tasks that previously required specialized knowledge.
- Critics argue that standardized procedures deskill workers by limiting their decision-making authority.