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.
Dutch photocopier and printer maker Oce NV will cut 130 jobs at its headquarters in Venlo, southern Netherlands, a company spokesperson said on 16 December 2005. Forced redundancies are not to be ruled out as part of the reorganisation. The workforce reduction will affect office personnel. Oce already cut 150 jobs in its production departments in 2003. As announced in November 2005, Oce will cut overall 500 jobs in Europe. The company employs almost 25,000 people in Europe. The workforce reduction in Europe is not connected with the plans of Oce to move 50% of its production activities to low-wage countries by the end of 2006. On 5 July 2006 Océ announced that it will continue to transfer production jobs from Venlo (Limburg) to low wage countries in the years to come. In the next two years, Océ wants to transfer 80 percent of its production outside western Europe. Dozens of jobs will be lost in Venlo but direct dismissals are not necessary. The total amount of jobs in Venlo will remain at 2,800 because new jobs will be created in the research and development divisions.
Eurofound (2005), Oce, Offshoring/Delocalisation in Netherlands, factsheet number 62715, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/62715.