This session will analyse potential policy and ethical approaches to automated decision-making in employment.
The first CDS Talk of the 2024-2025 academic year welcomes Schuman Fellow Tobias Muellensiefen, who will present his work on the current state of regulation and the objectives of the project 'Algorithmic Management at the Workplace'.
Algorithmic management can be defined as the use of automated monitoring and decision-making systems for the management of human labour input. Algorithms based on AI technology are increasingly used to perform managerial functions at the workplace. These range from recruitment to supervision, from performance evaluation to termination of contracts. Companies can buy off-the-shelf software to screen CVs or conduct interviews or develop in-house tools to allocate tasks, measure productivity, and discipline or reward workers.
While such practices can bring productivity gains and has potential for fairer and more objective management decisions, it also carries risk and challenges. These include biased datasets, opaque decision-making, micro-surveillance, de-humanising employment relations and increased work intensity, entailing potential harm to workers’ privacy and their physical and mental health. The objective of this research project is to design a ‘catalogue of policy ideas’ developing new approaches for EU policy action (regulatory or not) to address algorithmic management at the workplace.
Muellensiefen will share his findings regarding potential policy approaches in particular for algorithmic transparency for workers and their representatives, an ethical approach to automated decision-making in employment, controlling digital surveillance of work, and effective worker data trusts.
The CDS Talks are a series of lunchtime presentations organised by the Centre for a Digital Society. In these sessions, renowned experts share their knowledge on core issues related to the center's main research areas, fostering dynamic discussions that encourage questions, debate, and knowledge sharing.