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.
The subsidiary of German car maker Volkswagen, Volkswagen Slovakia (VW SK), has announced plans to hire 1,000 workers for its plant in Bratislava by the end of 2017. It has been reported that 800 of the new positions will be in production-related activities, while 200 will be for high-skilled activities. To hire such a large number of workers in a four month period will not be easily done, mainly because of the low unemployment rate in Slovakia. For this reason, the company may also have to look for staff outside of Slovakia. The business expansion is attributed to production starting for a new range of vehicles, particularly the new luxury model of Porsche Cayenne SUV. In relation to this, VW SK has already hired 400 workers in the first half of 2017. The company plans to offer the new staff training as well as competitive wages between €1,050 and €1,250 per month.
Eurofound (2017), Volkswagen Slovakia, Business expansion in Slovakia, factsheet number 91820, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91820.