Industry 4.0 has been creating new jobs for several years, and people are already being employed in work positions that did not exist ten years ago. Due to the speed and complexity of the changes brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it will be necessary to respond adequately and flexibly to this challenge. This research paper is devoted to the issue of Industry 4.0 outbreak into industrial enterprises, while the issue of job structure will become an increasingly urgent one. The main objective of this problem-oriented quantitative type of research is based on the analysis of the state and course of Industry 4.0 implementation process to estimate the impact of Industry 4.0 concept implementation on job creation in small and medium-sized enterprises and family businesses in Slovak Republic. A questionnaire survey in small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovak Republic was chosen as the fundamental research method. The results have shown that new technologies will increasingly displace physical labor in particular, and emerging jobs will put ever-increasing demands on human intellect. The conclusions from our findings can be the basis for the creation of educational programs not only within the workplace but also in the educational system in Slovak Republic.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution bears major technological, demographic, and socio-economic changes affecting nearly every area in business. Within the human resources area, both a surplus of labor and the creation of brand new professions are to be expected. Industry 4.0 concept significantly affects labor productivity in individual countries and does not miss the Slovak Republic either. All segments of the labor market, not just industrial enterprises, will be affected. The present study aims to analyze the possible development of labor productivity in Slovak companies and determine its development in the next period, considering the decreasing number of working-age populations in terms of the fallouts on creation and termination of jobs and occupations. The questionnaire carried out in 319 enterprises in the Slovak Republic with a received response of 228 was a key research tool used to analyze the results of the survey. The findings show that although the labor force within the Slovak labor market will not increase, the labor force will decrease due to unfavorable demographic development. The overall productivity in Slovak companies will increase due to the new technologies implementation. The results have proved that the Industry 4.0 concept will significantly affect labor productivity in the world economy and the Slovak Republic. In particular, the recommendations aim to draw attention to changes in job structure and the need to reform the education system because of Industry 4.0 requirements. Acknowledgments This paper was supported by the Slovak Ministry of Education’s Scientific grant agency VEGA: “The impact of Industry 4.0 on jobs structure changes”. Project registration number: [Reg. No.: 1/0430/18]. This paper was supported by the Slovak Ministry of Education’s Scientific grant agency VEGA: “Assessment changes in the qualitative structure of international economic relations under the influence of Industry 4.0 with implications for the EU and Slovak economic policies”. Project registration number: [Reg. No.: 1/0462/20].

Many studies have found that the most significant job structure changes in the Slovak business environment can be expected in production and logistics. The biggest manpower shortages are in the fields of mechanical engineering, production, construction, information sciences and communication technologies, and medical sciences. The smallest manpower shortage can be found in the humanities and social science areas. The main objective of this research was to assess the trends within the Slovak labor market from the perspective of the companies that participated in a survey focused on their assumptions on job structure changes in the context of the implementation of the elements of Industry 4.0. The estimation was based on a questionnaire conducted during the spring months of 2020 with the participation of 175 companies and institutions. The results showed that one third of companies anticipate job cuts in the implementation of smart industry. Along with the job position disposal and the qualified staffs’ need for new jobs, the demands of employers regarding the level of education are growing. On the other hand, three quarters of companies are not only willing but also ready to participate in human resource vocational training and requalification focused mainly on technical skills.

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