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.
On 15 September 2010 the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia announced that it will cut 140 jobs in Luxembourg by the end of 2011. A total of 665 jobs cuts are being made by the company across the EU including Belgium (385) and France (70). These reductions are in addition to those announced in January and September 2009, which involved a total of some 1,500 employees across the EU. Management announced their intention to avoid direct dismissals as much as possible and to promote early retirements and other job reduction measures. The bank was hit severely by the financial crisis and hopes that through the job cuts and other cost saving measures it will be able to save 600 million Euros by the end of 2011. Dexia has 35,177 employees as at 31 March 2010. Belgium represents 41% of the workforce, Turkey 24%, Luxemburg 11% and France 7%.
Eurofound (2010), Dexia, Internal restructuring in Luxembourg, factsheet number 70930, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/70930.