Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being
Warehouses with complex monitoring and algorithmic management policies are rapidly expanding across the EU. This paper explores the functionalities of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) and its role in managing warehouse workers. In particular, WMS implementation raises concerns regarding worker pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Bologna
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Italian Labour Law e-Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://illej.unibo.it/article/view/20837 |
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| author | Thomas De Lombaert Arpan Rijal Robert Costrasal Michele Molè |
| author_facet | Thomas De Lombaert Arpan Rijal Robert Costrasal Michele Molè |
| author_sort | Thomas De Lombaert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Warehouses with complex monitoring and algorithmic management policies are rapidly expanding across the EU. This paper explores the functionalities of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) and its role in managing warehouse workers. In particular, WMS implementation raises concerns regarding worker privacy and data protection due to the increased surveillance of warehouse operations, while at the same time also having the potential to significantly enhance worker well-being. By examining the WMS' features in relation to the GDPR (EU Reg. 2016/679) and the AI Regulation (EU Reg. 2024/1689), this paper establishes a framework in which worker well-being is fostered in accordance with data protection and technology law. Following an introduction to these regulations, we analyse three case studies of personal data acquisition and management policies from warehouse management literature. Building on these examples, this paper offers practical guidelines for researchers and practitioners to ensure their warehouse operations comply with current regulations on worker monitoring. We show that data collection practices and their implications should be more carefully considered, both by practitioners and researchers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b81dd6cc941948a5b67b0597fb1a43af |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1561-8048 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | University of Bologna |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Italian Labour Law e-Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-b81dd6cc941948a5b67b0597fb1a43af2025-01-15T15:46:15ZengUniversity of BolognaItalian Labour Law e-Journal1561-80482024-12-0117214516810.6092/issn.1561-8048/2083719209Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-beingThomas De Lombaert0Arpan Rijal1Robert Costrasal2Michele Molè3Hasselt UniversityUniversity of GroningenUniversity of GroningenUniversity of GroningenWarehouses with complex monitoring and algorithmic management policies are rapidly expanding across the EU. This paper explores the functionalities of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) and its role in managing warehouse workers. In particular, WMS implementation raises concerns regarding worker privacy and data protection due to the increased surveillance of warehouse operations, while at the same time also having the potential to significantly enhance worker well-being. By examining the WMS' features in relation to the GDPR (EU Reg. 2016/679) and the AI Regulation (EU Reg. 2024/1689), this paper establishes a framework in which worker well-being is fostered in accordance with data protection and technology law. Following an introduction to these regulations, we analyse three case studies of personal data acquisition and management policies from warehouse management literature. Building on these examples, this paper offers practical guidelines for researchers and practitioners to ensure their warehouse operations comply with current regulations on worker monitoring. We show that data collection practices and their implications should be more carefully considered, both by practitioners and researchers.https://illej.unibo.it/article/view/20837warehouse management systemworkplace surveillancegdprai regulationworker well-being |
| spellingShingle | Thomas De Lombaert Arpan Rijal Robert Costrasal Michele Molè Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being Italian Labour Law e-Journal warehouse management system workplace surveillance gdpr ai regulation worker well-being |
| title | Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being |
| title_full | Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being |
| title_fullStr | Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being |
| title_short | Mass Collection of Workers’ Data in Warehouse Facilities: Reflections on Privacy and Workforce Well-being |
| title_sort | mass collection of workers data in warehouse facilities reflections on privacy and workforce well being |
| topic | warehouse management system workplace surveillance gdpr ai regulation worker well-being |
| url | https://illej.unibo.it/article/view/20837 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT thomasdelombaert masscollectionofworkersdatainwarehousefacilitiesreflectionsonprivacyandworkforcewellbeing AT arpanrijal masscollectionofworkersdatainwarehousefacilitiesreflectionsonprivacyandworkforcewellbeing AT robertcostrasal masscollectionofworkersdatainwarehousefacilitiesreflectionsonprivacyandworkforcewellbeing AT michelemole masscollectionofworkersdatainwarehousefacilitiesreflectionsonprivacyandworkforcewellbeing |