Business algorithms

For a few years now, the use of algorithms for business management is making its way to allow greater automation of data-driven organizational decisions. This digitalization involves using procedures that use the data generated by the market and by the companies themselves to make decisions about production, the organization of resources and the evaluation of staff performance, optimizing business capabilities and improving profit margins. Although the levels of management automation can be very different between companies, the use of these tools is growing in aspects such as time control, the organization of workflows, the profiling of workers and aspects related to the supervision and evaluation of their professional performances.

On many occasions, the use of non-transparent algorithms, or with pre-designed biases, ends up unprotecting employees, who are subjected to an automated decision-making process over which they have no control or responsiveness. This is ultimately a management framework that can erode collective bargaining and reduce workers' already diminished bargaining power. Both European regulations and the Digital Rights Charter, approved by Spain in 2021, point to the right of citizens to obtain transparent and effective information on the use of algorithms used by companies to make decisions that affect them. This right is essential, as a poorly designed or programme-biased algorithm can severely affect the ability of staff to exercise their rights in a safe, fair and balanced working environment. Incorporating the monitoring of the functioning of algorithms into collective bargaining is, therefore, an important step.

The International Labour Organization is working to determine the scope and contents of this collective control over algorithms. At a time when the business world wants to promote more democratic, transparent and sensitive models, keeping artificial intelligence within a supervisory framework agreed between the parties is not only a decision for the future, but for an rapidly changing present. It is therefore positive that trade union organisations are pushing to incorporate this aspect into the general framework of collective bargaining and social dialogue. Harnessing the potential of digitalisation and artificial intelligence requires institutional frameworks prepared to be able to supervise, manage and, where appropriate, limit their extension when it is considered harmful to people's rights. Otherwise, it risks becoming a new source of economic and social inequality.