Press Release No. 41/2015 IG Metall: Jörg Hofmann Takes Over as Co-Chair of the BMAS’s “Digital World of Work” IT Summit Platform

Berlin – As part of the German government’s IT Summit, the “Digital World of Work” platform—initiated by the Federal Ministry of Labor and chaired by Federal Minister of Labor Andrea Nahles and Jörg Hofmann, Second Chairman of IG Metall—met for the first time on Tuesday. The platform is supported by leading figures from business, labor unions, academia, and politics. “This platform sends a clear signal that digitalization, ICT, big data, and Industry 4.0 are not merely technological projects, but also initiatives that are drastically transforming the world of work,” Hofmann said on Tuesday in Berlin. “The question is not what work might look like in the future. Rather, it is about finding answers to what work should look like.”

For this reason, the platform’s task is not only to address the opportunities and risks of the digital workplace but also to develop options for shaping a workplace from which both employees and companies can benefit: How is work in factories and offices changing as a result of the use of new digital technologies? What might a fair compromise look like between the flexibility needs of employees and those of companies? What solutions can skills development and continuing professional education offer in response to the changes in job roles brought about by the digital transformation? The platform aims to find answers to these and many other questions.

Every conceivable implementation scenario requires acceptance and a willingness to participate innovatively, Hofmann emphasized. This will require considerable effort, given the current situation in workplaces: “For example, smart glasses are being introduced without any knowledge of the health consequences, without valid ergonomic findings, and without consideration for employees’ fears and uncertainties. Very few people realize what lies ahead for them. Plans are being made and implemented based on what is technically feasible—but that is not necessarily what makes sense from an ergonomic or skills-based perspective,” said Hofmann.

This also applies to the field of mobile work. For many, it has now become the norm, oscillating between overcrowded open-plan offices and the dining table at home. “Where the possibilities of intentional mobility that enhances quality of life end, and where infringements on workers’ interests begin, is currently anything but clear,” said the union representative.

It is necessary to “place employees at the center of all change processes.” While many find it easy to say this, many find it difficult to acknowledge it. Hofmann sees “enormous opportunities” in employee co-determination and participation to give digitalization a human face and a positive direction for the future of work.

A second meeting of the platform is scheduled for fall 2015.