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.
SoLocal Group, specialised in local digital communication through its major brands PagesJaunes, Mappy and Ooreka, has announced a 1,000 positions cut, which represents about 23% of its workforce. By the end of 2019, approximately 1,000 positions will be lost out of a total of 4,400. The employment safeguard plan includes a voluntary phase, followed by forced dismissals if there are not enough voluntary departures. About 800 people are expected to leave the company this year, according to SoLocal, which plans to recruit a hundred people over the same period. 300 departures are expected in 2019.
Job cuts mainly affect sales teams (just under half of positions), marketing (15%) and management (15%). The 'key accounts' teams will be strengthened. The 23 existing sites will be merged into four hubs: Bordeaux, Rennes, Lille and Lyon. As a result, the impact on employment will be significant for small agencies employing 5 to 10 people.
Eurofound (2018), SoLocal, Internal restructuring in France, factsheet number 93258, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/93258.