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.
Engineering company Babcock has announced that it is to cut 500 jobs in Plymouth. The firm employs around 5,000 staff at the city's Devonport Dockyard primarily employed on contracts to service and maintain Royal Navy warships and submarines. The decision to cut jobs follows a twelve-month review of operations, which has concluded that the cuts are necessary in order to secure the long-term future of the business. Local MPs from both Conservative and Labour expressed their disappointment at the news, with it being noted that the figure of 500 was higher than what had been expecting. A statutory period of consultation is due to begin shortly and the timings of the job losses will be known at its outcome.
In 2017, the Group announced that 250 jobs will be made redundant after the completion of several contracts.
Eurofound (2018), Babcock, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 93791, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/93791.