'Is the use of automation encouraged.' Autos = AP, AT, FD, HUD; any technology which can replace or supplement manual or cognitive task.
Industry depends on automation; without it, normal operation, traffic density, challenge the economics of aviation.
Historically, tedious long-haul cruise was automated - monitoring, evolving from checking system operation, to now overseeing the 'big picture' managed by highly reliable systems with auto alerting; but humans are poor monitors, we don't monitor - monitoring is a flawed concept.
The other area of automation was for operations beyond human capability. Initially low vis approaches, now RNAV, RVSM, etc, this is the dependancy, which in a not too distant future, sees manual flight as the reversionary mode, the skills set for recovery after autos fail.
Workload has changed, not necessarily less, its different in time and situation; similarly for error, new forms of error, could be easier seen due to clearer alerting and more information. Thus we might mistakenly relate auto use with improved safety and low workload, but often without adequate understanding of context, training content, experience; this is the encouragement, we wish to be safe.
Differences in operator perception might be seen as differences in encouraging use of autos or not.
The industry is safer (as measured after the fact), but risks still exist - we have to manage the uncertainty in future operations (before the fact). Whilst accidents have decreased, the proportion of aircraft with autos has increased thus we may create false associations.
Reconsider the dominant contributions of auto accidents; not lack of manual flight in normal operation as often reported - the industry is much safer than that. More likely degraded mental skills in managing situations - more surprise because of unfamiliarity due to highly reliable systems.
The level of experience required in abnormal situations is now inadequate. Operations and expectations must be matched to actual experience, not that imagined from training or manual flight in benign situations.