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.
Irish budget airline Ryanair is to take on 2,000 cabin crew before the end of the year, as it expects to see its passenger numbers increase to 200 million by 2024. The increase in staffing runs concurrent with a fleet expansion, with the company having purchased 315 Boeing 737s. Recruitment will be undertaken in the UK and Ireland, with the resulting positions being spread out around the continent due to the nature of the air travel industry. A six week training programme will be undertaken in Frankfurt, with new staff being taken on as starting cabin crew. This expansion is part of a wider upstaffing across the business, with a further 1500 jobs being created for new pilots and engineers as well as the recruitment of cabin crew.
Eurofound (2016), Ryanair, Business expansion in European Union, factsheet number 89203, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/89203.