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.
Finnish manufacturer of industrial engines, Wärtsilä, has announced plans to cut about 600 jobs from its ship engine division, which it has renamed Marine Solutions. The job losses will affect staff in all functions. 160 of the jobs affected will be in Finland. The company announced that a share of the losses will be carried out through retirement.
The cuts follow reports of a weaker-than-expected quarterly profit. The company linked them to weak demand from the marine industry following the economic crisis and to low oil prices. The job cuts are to generate annual savings of €40 million, which are expected to come into full effect by the end of 2016.
Wärtsilä Marine Solutions currently employs 7,217 people globally. The company has an overall workforce of 17,700, and operates in 70 countries.
Eurofound (2015), Wärtsilä, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 84293, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/84293.