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.
Worcestershire County Council has announced plans to cut 200 jobs as part of a cost-cutting drive. The local authority employs 2,800 people and needs to reduce headcount in light of a 5 million GBP (€5.65 million) predicted overspend. The council has opened a voluntary redundancy scheme which is not available to front line workers, suggesting that the reductions will be made in office based roles. Staff who indicate that they wish to take this offer will leave by the end of March 2019. Reports do not state what will happen in the event of staff not volunteering.
Eurofound (2018), Worcestershire County Council, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 95897, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/95897.