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.
Adolfo Domínguez, the Spanish clothing store chain, has announced a reduction of 8% of its workforce (110 workers), due to the implementation of its brand merger plan (joining Adolfo Domínguez, U and AD+). The company Galician firm has started the process of merging its U, AD + and Adolfo Domínguez brands under a single logo (Adolfo Domínguez) with the transformation of approximately 115 stores. The first workers affected will be those working in the stores of Fuencarral (Madrid), Málaga, Canarias, Miranda del Ebro (Burgos) and Torrelavega (Cantabria). The plan also includes a complete revamp of the main store in Barcelona. The company explained that this plan will be duly communicated to the affected workers and their representatives, beginning the mandatory period of consultations.
Update 23/07/2018: Finally, Adolfo Domínguez has reduced its losses by 20%. Thus, the company has announced an agreement with unions to reduce the dismissals before the merger of their brands. Instead of the initial 110 planned dismissals, there will be 56 (half of those originally planned).
Eurofound (2018), Adolfo Domínguez, Merger/Acquisition in Spain, factsheet number 94000, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/94000.