Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
The Swedish workwear manufacturer Fristad has announced the dismissal of 40 of its 250 employees. The affected positions are at the company’s unit in Borås. The company argued that the dismissals are motivated by the economic challenges of the COVID-19-pandemic. The company has lost 70%-80% of their orders due to the pandemic. In addition to the dismissals, the company has sought to respond to this drop in order volumes by temporarily laying off staff and by moving some of its staff members from administrative units to production.
Eurofound (2020), Fristad, Internal restructuring in Sweden, factsheet number 100733, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/100733.