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.
On 14 July 2010, automobile supplier Behr announced its latest restructuring plan. Whilst the company had stated that it would cut 440 jobs in autumn 2009, Behr's management negotiated a settlement with the works' council and the union that reduced the number of job losses to 250. Employees affected will be dismissed or transferred to a transitional agency. In return for an employment guarantee until 2015, the remaining employees have to waive their holiday and Christmas bonuses. Behr currently employs around 17,000 employees worldwide. The company had initially stated that job cuts were necessary in order to return to profitability in 2011.
Eurofound (2009), Behr, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 69971, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/69971.