Human and ethical implications of automation and digitisation at the workplace on work organisation and working conditions

Client: Eurofound

Duration: 2021 – 2022

Consortium: Open Evidence (partner), VVA

Methodology: Economic Analysis

Tools: Literature Review, Interviews, Case Studies

Geographical scope: EU27

Automation and digitisation at the workplace can impact the work organisation, working conditions and fundamental rights of workers. The policy debate and emerging initiatives from social partners and policy makers focus on defining job quality frameworks and setting ethical guidelines especially on AI. The objectives of the study are to define the ethical and working conditions implications of automation and digitisation at the workplace, identify policy debates and existing guidelines and initiatives, explore with technology experts the extent to which ethical principles and standards can be embedded into the design and implementation of technologies, and examine workplace-level approaches and measures to deal with the human and ethical implications arising from the use of digital technologies. The results of the study feed into the work of Eurofound on the impact of digitalisation on ethics.