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 13 January 2023, the German furniture manufacturer Maja Möbelwerk will be cutting 198 jobs at its plant in Wittichenau due to internal restructuring. The restructuring comes as drop in demand for IKEA products has had a negative downstream impact on Maja Möbelwerk. As such, the job cuts will realign capacity with the new workload. According to the company, the job reduction is inevitable in order to ensure the longevity of the plant in Wittichenau. While a timeframe is not yet available, IG Metall spokesperson Uwe Garbe confirmed that a detailed social plan has already been created before Christmas and that first redundancies were sent out at the same time. 155 jobs will be cut and for 43 employees there is only a temporary employment need.
Eurofound (2023), Maja Möbelwerk, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 108198, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/108198.