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.
Outsourcing group Serco has announced that it is to follow through with plans to close its operations in Worcester in the UK, and possibly move these operations overseas. The company has now entered a consultation process with 300 staff in Worcester and hopes to redeploy some staff to its other call centers. Serco announced that the move was in response to the increase in orders through mobile phones and tablet computers noting that call volumes have decreased by 55% in the last 5 years. The company said that it intended to retain 75% of its employees within the UK with 25% overseas (South Africa, India).
Eurofound (2013), Serco, Offshoring/Delocalisation in United Kingdom, factsheet number 75065, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/75065.