The challenges of digitalisation at the workplace and its impact on workers’ health

On 15 October the event “Augmented Exploitation – AI, Automation & Mental Health at work” took place. The webinar was co-organised in collaboration with my colleague Agnes Jongerius, coordinator in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs of the European Parliament.

The event brought together high-level experts and policy-makers from different fields, who shared excellent presentations on the impact of digitisation and AI on the workplace and workers.

Through quality data, shared experiences and first-hand information, all challenges of digitalisation were explored from a labour perspective. The emphasis was placed on how sophisticated algorithmic and automated systems are currently being used to control and monitor workers, causing important changes in the nature and organisation of work, and having a serious impact on the health and safety of workers, including mental health.

Apart from evaluating the different aspects of digitalisation, which have lead to an increase in exploitation and job insecurity, concrete legislative measures and solutions were discussed to guarantee workers’ rights and their full protection in an increasingly digitised world.

Abusive practices by multinationals such as Amazon; factors and risks associated with an increase of pressure, precariousness, instability and intensity of work such as technostress and other frequent mental disorders; the violation of privacy rights; the analysis of current regulatory proposals such as the “AI Act proposal”; and pioneering legislative initiatives already implemented in different countries, such as the Rider Law in Spain or the case of California. These are some examples of the great variety of information and facts that were shared on the challenges we are facing in the new digital era. A moment full of opportunities and obstacles, which need urgent intervention and regulation to ensure the protection, safe and decent working conditions for all workers in Europe and around the world.

If you are interested in the topic, you find the recorded video of the event here below.

 

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