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.
As announced on 15 July 2020 the UK-based aircraft engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce will cut approximately 800 jobs at its sites in Dahlewitz (Brandenburg) and Oberursel (Hesse) due to internal restructuring. In Dahlewitz 550 jobs will be lost while in Oberursel 250 employees will lose their jobs. These cuts are part of Rolls-Royce's international job reduction programme which intends to cut 9,000 of 52,000 jobs worldwide.
The company has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis and does not expect to recover from this crisis until 2024. Jobs will be cut within the next to year. Management and works council started negotiations on a social plan.
Eurofound (2020), Rolls-Royce, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 101273, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/101273.