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.
Gorillas, a German on-demand grocery delivery company, has decided to close its operations in Italy, and as of 4 July will proceed with the dismissal of 540 people, of which 75 will be on permanent contracts.
The company had decided to launch an international expansion strategy, investing also in Italy and hiring hundreds of people. The economic crisis and the war in Ukraine made this expansion more complicated, resulting in the company's decision to focus on markets from which most of its revenues come.
The company says it has evaluated and is still evaluating various alternatives such as the sale of the company or the entry of new investors. To date, there is no positive news and a gradual reduction of employees has therefore taken place.
The unions called on Gorillas to open a bargaining table that would explore alternative possibilities and safeguard the employment levels and income of the 540 people.
Eurofound (2022), Gorillas, Closure in Italy, factsheet number 107058, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/107058.