Workplace monitoring: What to know about surveillance at work

By: Toni Frana, Career Expert at Zety.com 

Starting a new job, especially when beginning your career, is a very exciting time. However, there are also some nerves that come along with starting something new. Of course, you are ready to prove yourself, roll up your sleeves and get to work, and you want to be in an environment where you can thrive. But, you’ll also be learning about your new workplace and the culture that comes with it. 

Whether you work remotely or in the office as a new employee, a part of that culture is wondering how you are being evaluated and even watched while working. Performance evaluations are common, and recently, surveillance at work has become more common as well. Workplace surveillance can take many forms and it has the potential to reshape the psychological experience of your work, especially as an early-career professional. 

According to Zety.com’s Workplace Monitoring report, employees prefer to be monitored with regular feedback received in performance reviews, with a focus on outcomes and deadlines, and peer feedback rather than through monitoring of keystrokes or other tracking software.

The Rise of Workplace Surveillance 

When companies choose to implement some form of surveillance the monitoring of screen time, keystrokes, and productivity tracking are examples of what could be tracked. While there are many reasons an employer could implement a worker surveillance policy, typically, employers will use tools like this to make sure their employees are working when they should be and maintaining productivity. 

In remote environments surveillance may be even more common as managers may have productivity anxiety and feel there are risks of lessened effectiveness with a remote team. This along with the increase in remote and hybrid roles since 2020 make this type of surveillance more common as there is not the same opportunity for in-office interactions when the team is not together in person every day. Employers view this monitoring as a way to ensure accountability across the company. 

Unintended Consequences for Working Professionals 

For those that work at an organization practicing some level of surveillance, it can feel like constant scrutiny, which can undermine mental health. Furthermore, employees who feel they are constantly watched feel a loss of autonomy and that their ability to work the way they want or need to is compromised. This can stifle creativity and performance as people may not feel as though they can share or explore big, creative ideas. 

Another issue becomes trust. Many feel that employers and leadership don’t trust their employees when they resort to surveillance initiatives. In fact, Zety.com, a go to source for resume templates, analyzed user data to uncover that 1 in 9 workers have left a job due to extreme monitoring. 

Finally, there are also privacy and ethical concerns with the data that’s collected. With any data collection there is always a risk of misuse and without a way for an employee to opt out of this type of practice, it can be very uncomfortable and difficult for them to complete their work well. 

Why This Matters 

Early career professionals are typically more visible and under more scrutiny than more experienced team members in general. Given this, surveillance can undermine their learning, creativity, problem solving, and experimentation which are all important for career development. 

As mentioned above, this type of environment risks higher turnover as well. Young professionals weigh workplace culture heavily and it will be harder for companies to retain talent with invasive surveillance methods. Instead, workers may look elsewhere and choose employers who have a more trusting culture. 

Advice for Professionals

During interviews, young professionals can get an idea of a company’s stance on workplace surveillance by asking: How do you monitor performance? They can also continue the conversation for more clarity, uncovering how the monitoring data is used. Is it used for coaching, or remediation? Understanding this can help people make more informed decisions about where they work. 

Once working in a role, commit to being proactive, develop strong work habits, and have the ability to self-manage and communicate with your managers as this will help you demonstrate your value to an employer beyond the hours you work. Be an advocate for yourself and for healthy workplace practices, particularly if a company you work for is using surveillance on their employees. 

Surveillance at work comes with a cost to employees, and it’s important you understand your company’s policy on such methods. Healthy performance and trust are not substitutes for surveillance and for some companies they do co-exist. If a company you work for is using these methods, leaning into advocating for monitoring that is ethical, transparent, and balanced can be helpful. 

As a new professional, taking note of workplace culture, including how you are evaluated, is not optional. In fact, it is an important part of building a sustainable and fulfilling career.