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.
Austrian shoe retail group 'Leder & Schuh' has reported 130 dismissals to the Public Employment Service's (AMS) early warning system. The job cuts will affect 65 employees at the company's headquarter in Graz, Styria, and further 65 in stores. The group will concentrate business on two chains, 'Humanic' and 'Shoe4You'; 'Stiefelkönig' and 'Jello' on the other hand will not be continued.
The redundancies are part of a bundle of restructuring measures. A year ago, 65 jobs were cut and only recently, the company has sold part of its stores in Germany. According to management, restructuring has been successful, therefore no further cuts are planned. Currently, Leder & Schuh employs 1,765 people in Austria.
Eurofound (2016), Leder & Schuh, Internal restructuring in Austria, factsheet number 86589, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/86589.