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.
![img text](https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-05/ef22038_3.png)
SMA Solar Technology AG has presented the restructuring plan announced in September to the employees representatives. One of the main planned measures is the discontinuation of China as a location and the sale of the Chinese companies to the local management. The restructuring will involve a reduction of the global workforce by around 425 full-time positions. According to the company 'the restructuring measures are needed in order to return SMA to profitability quickly in an environment characterised by a sharp decline in prices'.
The planned restructuring measures are to be implemented starting from January 2019. Worldwide, SMA plans to cut around 425 of the total 3,307 full-time positions (not including temporary employees), until 2020. More than 100 of these full-time positions are located in Germany and more than 300 to the foreign locations. The management is aiming 'to carry out the staff reduction in a socially responsible way. However, compulsory redundancies cannot be ruled out at present'.
Eurofound (2018), SMA Solar Technology, Internal restructuring in World, factsheet number 96235, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/96235.