Is corporate monitoring an invasion of privacy, or an opportunity to improve business productivity and efficiency? It all depends on how you choose to look at it.
Microsoft, one of the world leaders in communication and collaboration right now, recently apologised for its “Productivity score” feature. The company came under fire from consumers who said that the app, which monitored usage of workplace applications, was an invasion of privacy.
From one perspective, it’s easy to see why people would get upset by the concept of being constantly under surveillance. Having the freedom to work without someone or something hanging over your shoulder is crucial in today’s landscape. Employees want to feel as though their managers and supervisors trust them to do a good job. Nobody wants to feel monitored.
On the other hand, monitoring things like app usage and productivity can help businesses to make better decisions about the tools that employees really need.
The Two Sides of the Monitoring Coin
There’s something inherently upsetting about the idea of being watched. No-one wants to feel like they’re constantly under scrutiny when they’re just trying to do their job. Having tools tracking everything you do can feel like having a boss sitting on your shoulder, evaluating every move.
With tracking tools placing so much pressure on employees, it can be difficult for team members to really work at their most productive. The strain of being watched impairs our creativity and makes it harder for us to thrive. Plus, it just feels like a real invasion of privacy.
But, is monitoring all bad?
These days, data and AI are common components of the workplace. We expect to have things tracking our performance to some degree, and we even benefit from having access to certain tools. Monitoring systems that connect to wallboards allow us to assess our performance compared to peers and potentially boost results.
The right tracking tools can help employees to access better training experiences and deliver more satisfying outcomes to employees. Plus, some tracking tools are actually there to help make life better for team members. Tech like Sentiment Analysis can help business leaders to evaluate the workplace and make decisions that genuinely benefit employees.
Monitoring in the Modern Workplace
As the workplace becomes more distributed, with “anywhere work” transforming the landscape, it’s likely that monitoring tools will become more crucial. When we sign an employment contract in the days ahead (if you haven’t already), it may be that we’re actively saying “yes” to being monitored at all times. Most companies are beginning to put these clauses into terms and conditions.
