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 railway company Deutsche Bahn is to create 500 new jobs at its affiliate DB Sicherheit. As reported, the job creation is mainly due to the current situation of the terrorist attacks in Würzburg, Amsbach and München. The aim is to increase the security at train stations as well as on trains. In addition, Deutsche Bahn is testing the usage of bodycams and will be investing some €160 million in security measures each year. In 2014, Deutsche Bahn created some 1,250 jobs (Deutsche Bahn 2013). However, at its subsidiary DB Regio, Deutsche Bahn cut 600 jobs in 2014 (DB Regio 2014).
Turnover of Deutsche Bahn increased by 1.1 per cent in the first half of 2016. In total, Deutsche Bahn currently employs some 293,000 employees.
Eurofound (2016), DB Sicherheit, Business expansion in Germany, factsheet number 88288, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/88288.