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 Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) which is responsible for bringing together jobseekers and employers will reduce its workforce by 4,500 staff (one third of the entire workforce). About 3,500 to 4,000 employees will be dismissed from local offices around the country, while 500 to 1,000 from the head office in Stockholm. It is yet to be decided how many of the 240 local offices will disappear. However, jobs related to digitalization and IT are excluded from the dismissals. The reason behind the cut down is a new political orientation by the Swedish Government aiming to outsource the mediation to the private sector. The budget cuts for 2019 are estimated to 4.5 billion SEK (€433 million) for programmes and activities. Trade union representatives stated that the dismissals were expected but not in such an extent.
Eurofound (2019), Swedish Public Employment Service, Internal restructuring in Sweden, factsheet number 96607, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/96607.