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.
German bank Commerzbank is to cut 260 jobs. The job reduction will affect management positions, 160 in consumer banking and 100 in the bank for small and medium-sized businesses.
Since Commerzbank acquired Dresdner Bank six years ago, branch numbers have fallen from 1,600 to 1,100. According to the management board, a reduction in the number of leading managers is now required as well. The trade union Verdi criticized the announcement and indicated that it had been surprising and shocking for most of the affected employees.
Commerzbank is the second biggest German bank and employs around 53,000 people in total, around 78% of them in Germany. The company suffered major losses during the financial crisis but has had an operating profit every year since 2009.
Eurofound (2015), Commerzbank, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 78180, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/78180.