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.
Nordlandssykehuset (Nordland Hospital Trust) consisting of four hospitals plus local psychiatric services in Nordland county, has announced that it is to cut 120 full-time posts to achieve budget balance.
Nordland Hospital Trust is part of the state owned Helse Nord (Northern Norway Regional Health Authority). As with most hospital trusts, Nordlandssykehuset struggles with deficits and demands for cost cuts. The deficit for 2006 was 120 million NOK, resulting in cuts in 2007, but still the estimated deficit for 2007 will be 155 million NOK.
The employee representatives of the board voted against specifying the number of job reductions. Union representatives said to the media that they don’t understand how this cost cuts can be done without affecting the services, and they oppose the building of a new hospital which causes part of the need for the cuts. Nothing is said about how the workforce reduction will be done, but dismissals are not anticipated.
Eurofound (2007), Nordlandssykehuset, Internal restructuring in Norway, factsheet number 66131, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/66131.