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 German engineering and electronics company Bosch has announced it will cut 260 jobs in Leinfelden by 2021 due to internal restructuring. The job reduction will only affect production at the power tools division in Leinfelden. At this point 90 jobs have already been cut due to natural fluctuation (40) and job offers in different divisions at Bosch (50). Management, works council and the German Metalworkers’ Union have entered negotiations regarding a social plan for the remaining 170 employees. They will try to avoid operational terminations and instead offer part-time and early-retirement programmes, severance packages and placements at other Bosch sites.
Currently Bosch has 1,800 employees at its site in Leinfelden, of which 510 work in production.
Eurofound (2018), Bosch, Internal restructuring in Germany, factsheet number 93893, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/93893.