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.
Grammer, a leading German producer of car and bus seats, has been cutting 2000 jobs since spring 2008. The company announced a further 600 job cuts in 2009 in order to reduce its total workforce to 7,200. There is no information on the exact location where these jobs will be cut. Due to a company agreeement with the German Metalworkers' Federation IG Metall, it is unlikely that German plants will be affected.
Grammer employs a global workforce of 8000 in 23 subsidiaries and holds sites in 17 countries. On 13 May 2009, the company reported a drop in turnover of 35.8 per cent (compared with May 2008) to EUR 171.7 million; management said it expects a decrease of 30 per cent in 2009.
Eurofound (2009), Grammer, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 68888, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/68888.