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.
Oil and gas services company Maersk Drilling Norge will dismiss 100 employees in Norway in response to falling crude oil prices and reduced oil demand due to COVID-19 pandemic and decreased economic activity and investments. Maersk Drilling will terminate production in several oil rigs and 250 to 300 employees in total will be dismissed in Norway, Denmark and Great Britain. Affected employees were notified on April 24 2020.
An additional 50 Norwegian employees will be temporarily laid off after an agreement with the trade union Industri Energi to limit the number of direct dismissals to 100, although the company had planned a larger number. The local union representative describes the dismissals as a sad situation but also informed that the cooperation with management has been good and that the layoffs will adhere to the seniority principle.
Eurofound (2020), Maersk Drilling Norge, Internal restructuring in Norway, factsheet number 100383, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/100383.