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.
B&R, an automation specialist based in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria, plans to cut up to 240 jobs nationwide, primarily affecting administrative roles.
The layoffs, announced on 08 August 2024, are a response to declining orders due to ongoing inventory build-up by customers. The company states that this has resulted in the need for cost reductions. B&R, part of the ABB Group, had previously warned of potential job cuts in June.
The company aims to minimise the actual number of redundancies and has agreed on a social plan with the works council, offering alternative employment, training, and coaching to affected staff.
Earlier in 2024, B&R had introduced a temporary weekend shift, absorbing 100 of 300 temporary workers into the regular workforce.
Eurofound (2024), B&R, Internal restructuring in Austria, factsheet number 201483, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/201483.