ETHICAL DILEMMA

WILL ROBOTS STEAL OUR JOBS?

‘I heard on the radio today that robots are going to make many of us economically valueless,' says Cathy O'Sullivan, HR manager for Star Industries as she takes a bite from her sandwich.
‘That's a bit scary, but it sounds plausible. What's going to happen to such people?' asks Peter Vivakis, CFO.
‘I guess if you can't earn a living wage you join the welfare queue,' replies Chris Moore, production manager.
‘That sounds like higher taxes and more social problems to me,' interjects Wendy Smith, IT manager. ‘I agree,' says Peter. ‘Unequal societies are not happy ones.'
‘You know, I read somewhere that some academics reckon that almost 50 per cent of US jobs are at risk from automation,'161 says Cathy.
‘And it's not just the unskilled,' adds Chris. ‘The jobs of bankers, lawyers, financial advisors and the like are also under threat. Robots are going to significantly change the way we all live and work.162 Traditional career paths are going to disappear.'
‘What is more worrying is that some young people will never secure a permanent full-time job,' interjects Cathy. ‘Their future is unemployment or at best underemployment. The division between the employed and the jobless is going to get worse.'
‘Yes, and massive youth unemployment means civil unrest,' says Peter. ‘We need to find smarter ways of working to create growth, promote investment and improve the education of our young.'
‘The question is will automation make our lives better or worse? It seems to me that there are going to be many losers,' says Chris.
‘Automation is going to be very stressful for those who lose their jobs. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't work,' says Wendy.
‘Me too,' Peter says in agreement.
‘Perhaps we would all be better off without robots and their job destroying capabilities,' Chris offers. ‘But not if they take on the boring, repetitive work,' says Cathy.
‘And the dirty and dangerous jobs,' adds Peter.
‘Automation sounds great, providing that workers can acquire new skills and are able to relocate to where the jobs are, but I remain sceptical,' says Chris.
‘How do we know that there will be enough better quality jobs available or that new jobs will be created quickly enough to replace the jobs taken over by robots?' Wendy asks.
‘And think of the industrial relations implications. Some unions could lose all their members,' adds Cathy.

‘The workplace clearly is going to be revolutionised,' says Peter. ‘Everything will be more efficient. Productivity will receive a major boost. We should all be much better off.'
‘I agree,' says Cathy, ‘but with the qualifier that you have one of the good jobs supervising the robots.'
‘Which means you must have the required skills - without them you will be road kill. It all sounds terribly depressing,' says Wendy.
‘You know, what really worries me is that we could become a society with more losers than winners,' says Chris.
‘Alas, I must agree,' sighs Peter, ‘but one can hardly be a Luddite and stop all technical progress.'
Chris nods his head in agreement and says, ‘I see the former Treasury Secretary says Australians are in denial about the risks of a fall in our standards of living and that we are ill prepared to meet future challenges or to seize the opportunities ahead.'163
‘Perhaps as the lucky country we have run out of luck?' Peter offers.
‘More like a lack of hard work!' Wendy says. ‘It's obvious that our education system is failing. We need to focus on STEM subjects and not on some of the "fluffy" nonsense that passes for education today. Most of the new jobs that will be created in the next decade will require science, technology, engineering and maths. If people don't have these skills, they will be unemployable.'
‘I agree,' says Cathy, ‘and I'd add that our labour laws make it more difficult for investors to establish new businesses, create new jobs and want to hire more people.'164

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Question 1. What ethical issues are raised in this case?

Question 2. What are your views regarding the economic, political and social implications of automation?

Question 3. What are some of the possible major implications of automation for HRM and HR managers?