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.
Schaeffler, a global supplier of automotive and industrial components, is closing its Berndorf plant in Lower Austria by 2025. The facility, which manufactures wheel bearings and gearbox components for heavy vehicles, employs around 450 people.
The closure is part of a broader workforce reduction across Europe, as Schaeffler faces fluctuating demand, rising competition from Asian manufacturers, and ongoing economic challenges. The company plans to shift production to its sites in Slovakia and Romania, although these locations will also undergo staffing reductions.
The layoffs will be carried out in phases from 2025 to 2027, with efforts to ensure social compatibility. Schaeffler's workforce reduction is part of a larger plan to cut 4,700 jobs in Europe due to weak industrial sales and competition in the electric vehicle market.
Eurofound (2024), Schaeffler, Closure in Austria, factsheet number 202078, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/202078.