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.
As announced on 9 October 2014, German insurance provider Signal Iduna is to cut up to 1,400 jobs by 2018. The job reduction is due to a restructuring plan which aims to better deal with digitalisation. Signal Iduna intends to reduce costs by €140 million within that period. At the same time, the company is going to invest €100 million in information technology and professional training for employees.
Signal Iduna currently employs around 12,900 people in total. The company suffers, as many life insurers, from low interest rates. In 2013, profits decreased by 17 p.c. to €132 million.
Update: On 2 February 2016, Signal Iduna announced how many jobs will be cut in which sectors. The dismissals will affect 700 outposts and 700 employees in the company's headquarters in Dortmund and Hamburg. A total of 1,850 out of 2,200 jobs will remain in Dortmund by the end of 2017. However, these are not the final numbers and the company is currently going through substantial changes to its business structure. Some affected employees have already received their redundancy payment, others are retiring.
Eurofound (2014), Signal Iduna, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 77729, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/77729.