Swissmem has commissioned the ZHAW to investigate the transformation of the world of work through digitalization along the value chain of Swiss equipment, machinery and plant construction companies. This work is intended to increase the awareness of those responsible for decision-making in companies for the transformation, to identify relevant fields of action and to provide food for thought for the Swissmem Association. This study is divided into three parts: In the first part, the drivers for the introduction of new technologies will be examined by means of literature analysis and their validation with company surveys. In the second part, these technologies are assigned to the individual processes of the value chain and their influence on the world of work is described. In the third part, future scenarios will be developed to capture the challenges of the working world 4.0.