Deskilling

Deskilling is, according to Newman, "subdivision of low-level jobs into small, highly specific tasks requiring less-skilled employees." At first glance, deskilling doesn't seem like a bad thing, but it is harmful to workers.

Unskilled, inexperienced, or low-paid workers in deskilled jobs report lower levels of job satisfaction than those working in skilled professions.  Workers at the bottom of bureaucracies often become discouraged due to feeling they have little influence and control or that they are easily replaceable. Workers in this category are likely to be on an assembly line, performing dull, repetitive tasks; because their part is only a small portion of the process, it is difficult for them to feel a sense of accomplishment, as they don't create the entire product.

Some examples of deskilling include computer software deciding whether or not a company should insure a person, an instant espresso machine creating drinks instead of a barista, or a person putting two car parts together on a line instead of building the whole thing.

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/a/assembly_line.asp

Newman, David. Sociology. Ed 8. 2010.