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.
Canadian multinational, Shopify, has announced plans for a global restructuring that will include laying off 2,000-2,300 (20%) employees from its workforce. While the comapny has not details the departments which will be most impacted, it has announced that the 'dawn of the AI era' is playing a large role in the motivation to reduce and 'simplify' its workforce. The company has stated that restructuring policies for employees will include 16 weeks severance pay, an additional week per year employed and medical benefits for the same duration.
Eurofound (2023), Shopify, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 109061, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/109061.