Employee tracking: How Far is Too Far?

Employee tracking is usually measured to be any type of tracking method used to watch what an employee does while at work. This can include anything from video tracking to email scanning, and with technology today advancing at such a quick pace, a large number of employers are currently using some form of software to monitor office performance.

Below are some pros and cons for both sides of the tracking:

Pros: The Case for Tracking

• Protecting Company Property: Companies may consider tracking when concerned about the use of email for theft of proprietary information. The automated transfer of employer information can potentially lead of a loss of trade secrets and an untold amount of money.

• Maintaining Corporate Skill: A lack of tracking can create an aggressive workplace environment, as emails containing inappropriate jokes, racist remarks or other objectionable material could lead to serious legal charges within a company.

Cons:

• Conquest of Privacy: Because some people put in overtime or irregular hours at their place of business, it’s inevitable that company computers will be used for personal matters. A grey area exists over whether property of a machine makes everything that happens inside it property of the company.

• Fairness: An issue of fairness also exists when it comes to monitoring, as it’s typically not the high-level employees in a corporation that are being monitored, but rather entry-level or intermediate workers

 

·     The Effect on Workplace Morale: Employee monitoring often creates a level of distrust among workers. When people feel they are constantly being watched, their focus may not always be on the task at hand, but rather on potentially fire able actions they may be committing. Smoothing a culture of trust will result in employees conforming to certain rules as a result of mutual respect, rather than surveillance.