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.
The Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company Roche has announced that it is to reduce its workforce by 4,800 positions over the next two years. The largest reductions will be in sales, marketing and manufacturing.
The European factories in Mannheim and Kulmbach (Germany) will be heavily affected. Also, plants in Graz (Austria) and Burgdorf (Switzerland) will be closed. The redundancies are part of the ‘Operational Excellence Program' of the pharmaceutical company, aiming at reducing costs.
On top of the job reductions, 800 jobs will be transferred to other Roche sites and 700 positions outsourced to third parties. Combination of announced job reductions and transfers will affect 6,300 positions.
Eurofound (2010), Roche, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 71189, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/71189.