Technology to electronically monitor workers’ productivity has been around for years, but its use became more common during the pandemic when hoards of employees were sent home to work remotely.
There is nothing illegal about it. Companies are monitoring activity on company-owned laptops and other devices. It can result in disciplinary actions and improve productivity. But it is unsettling for employees.
“Thirty-seven percent say they are negatively impacted by workplace surveillance. They also said it feels like an invasion of privacy, makes them feel untrusted, and increases stress. All of those things can impact mental health,” said Melisa Stephenson, referring to a recent worker survey by Secure Data Recovery.
Employees don’t always know the extent to which their companies are surveilling their work-hour activities. The most common methods are monitoring email and chat, time and productivity, desktop and app monitoring, location and movement and even web and social media activity.
Many companies are up-front about their monitoring. Some are not. Transparency eases employee stress and distrust.
“I think it is just a best practice to be honest. It helps people know why you are keeping them accountable. At the end of the day, you are being paid to do a job, so of course they want you to do it. I don’t think there is any surprise there. But just (be) honest about how you are going to check up on them meeting their goals and doing what they are responsible to do.” Stephenson said.
Less than 47% of U.S. employees surveyed think their companies are transparent about it.
There are employees who have found ways to game the system. Fake backgrounds in video calls, checking in at the office with I.D. badges and then leaving shortly after, and even working a second job on company time without disclosing it are some of them. Sometimes it is just creating the impression of being busy when they are not.
“Some funny things about how people just move their mouses around. That became kind of a trend during COVID,” Stephenson said.
Secure Data Recovery surveyed office workers in both the U.S. and U.K. on their feelings about electronic surveillance by their employers and how they feel about it. The results are online.
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