Is Employee Monitoring Ethical or Unethical?

Scores of employees now favor remote work because of the flexibility it affords them. As a result, you may consider adopting employee monitoring systems to gauge their productivity. But is it ethical to monitor employees?

Employee monitoring is ethical if it incorporates transparency. Employers should clearly inform their employees that they are being monitored. Doing so will boost employees‘ morale, increasing their productivity. In some regions, employee monitoring transparency is a legal requirement.

This article will arm you with all the information you need to track your employees ethically when they’re on the clock. We’ll also explore the different perspectives from which we can view the ethics of employee monitoring.

When Is Employee Monitoring Ethical?

Employees have increasingly spoken up against conventional surveillance systems in late 2022. While they don’t really expect complete privacy as they perform job-related duties, monitoring them can feel like unwarranted spying that can reduce their drive to work for you.

When your employees step into company premises, they leave their expectations of absolute privacy at the door. Many of them likely accept the necessity of video surveillance and GPS tracking of company cars as they’re vital in maintaining a business’s security.

However, it’s a different animal when it appears that you’re tracking their every digital move. To them, an employer that monitors every keystroke and mouse swipe, every website visited, and every app opened is intrusive.

Beyond obvious privacy concerns, employees may become more preoccupied with appearing to look productive than actually doing their jobs. They may, for example, set up their browser windows such that the work screen appears to be active, when in fact they are actually preoccupied with something else.

At the same time, you may wish to measure your employees‘ output regularly and assess how much of their paid working hours they actually spend working.

So where is the line between ethical and unethical when it comes to employee monitoring?

Employee monitoring is ethical when it is done with transparency and by following all appropriate laws. Monitoring your employees is ethical when it is done for legitimate business, security, and productivity purposes.

Let me elaborate on that in more detail below.

Transparency Is Key

When you think about monitoring employees, you probably think of software installed onto their computers. But one company almost went a step further.

The CEO of Three Square Market, a vending machine company, offered employees the option of having microchips implanted into them. Those who consented could ditch their ID cards when they entered the company’s building and as they bought lunch. And that’s not even the most bizarre part.

Would you believe that 50 of Three Square Market’s then-80 employees were clamoring to get microchipped?

Transparency was crucial for eliciting this reaction that would seem surprising or even counterintuitive to an outside observer. What exactly did Three Square Market do to have over half of its workforce agree to such a thing?

The answer is simple: The CEO informed the employees what the chips did and what lines they couldn’t cross.

People are generally more open to submitting to such measures if you’re upfront about your intentions and the technology’s limitations.

Let your employees in on the following:

  • What do you hope to achieve by using these tracking techniques?
  • Why have you chosen this specific software or system?
  • How long will you be tracking your employees?
  • Are there any metrics you want to see them achieve during your monitoring?

Laying all your cards on the table makes employees feel like they’re part of the team and essential to the company’s vision. It also validates their concerns, boosts their morale and drives up their productivity.

A survey carried out by DTEX, an agency specializing in user behavior intelligence, seems to support this. The poll found that 77% of working Americans would greenlight being monitored if they knew about it. Their consent encompassed work and personal devices, as long as the tracking targeted work-related activities.

If possible, go the extra mile and welcome your employees‘ views on making the monitoring approach work for everyone.

You're Responsible for the Data You Collect

It would be best to use monitoring software that prioritizes your employees‘ privacy and security in the face of hacks. As the steward of the data you’re collecting from them, it is imperative that you keep it safe.

For example, mismanaging employee data could result in you breaking laws like HIPAA in the United States. The legal hot water this could land you in will pale compared to the loss of credibility you would suffer.

Wolfeye Remote Screen is an excellent tool for meeting this critical goal. No expense has been spared to confirm that this software retains the confidentiality of collected private data.

The Legality of Employee Monitoring Systems

Depending on where your business is located, tracking your employees may or may not be legal.

In the United States, for example, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 empowers employers to monitor their employees within reason. Individual states regulate the enforcement of this freedom, so make sure you check with your local government authorities regarding specifics.

It’s acceptable and perfectly legal to keep an eye on what your employees are doing using your property. This surveillance can take on forms such as:

  • GPS systems set up on company vehicles
  • CCTV cameras placed strategically on company grounds
  • Inspection of written, telephone, and electronic communications made by employees using company resources
  • Monitoring software installed onto employees‘ work devices

These methods are great ways to ensure that your workers are actually earning their wages and contributing to the success of your enterprise. They also help keep them in line by ensuring they aren’t engaging in anything shady using company-owned property.

Again, it’s important that you consult with legal counsel regarding the employee privacy laws applicable in your area.

Conclusion

Employee monitoring presents fundamental ethical questions employers must address to help them get the best of both worlds. By being honest with your employees and installing secure monitoring software, you’re well on your way to ethically tracking your employees‘ work-related activity.

Sources

Articles.

Do Companies in the US Need To Disclose That They Track a Computer? The pandemic has forced many companies to …
Continue reading …
The Best Live Screen Monitoring Software Compared There are a lot of great reasons that drive businesses and parents to …
Continue reading …
This Is How Remote Workers Can Be Tracked Remote desktop applications have given employers more insights into employee performance to …
Continue reading …
How To Track User Activity on Windows Computer Automatically tracking user activity is an excellent way to gather insights on …
Continue reading …
Is It Legal To Monitor Employees’ Personal Devices? Many of today’s workplaces have moved towards working remotely—whether from home or …
Continue reading …
Can You Track Your Employees on Teams? Employee tracking continues to be a major challenge for small businesses. While numerous …
Continue reading …
How To Monitor Children’s Screen Use (Parent’s Guide) In the modern age of the Internet, monitoring your children’s screen use …
Continue reading …
Can You Monitor Your Employees‘ Internet Usage? With remote working on the rise, more and more people will be working …
Continue reading …
How To Know if Employees Use Work Devices for Personal Use If you manage a small business, you must monitor …
Continue reading …
Is Screen Sharing Detectable? What You Need To Know Virtual collaboration systems are becoming more advanced, and screen-sharing technology isn’t …
Continue reading …
Can Remote Desktop Software Work Without Internet? There is no doubt that remote desktop software offers a valuable tool to …
Continue reading …
Do Companies Put Tracking Software on Their Laptops? Are you worried that your employer might be tracking your laptop activity? …
Continue reading …
Can You See a Laptop Screen on Your Phone? The proliferation of the internet has seen an increase in the …
Continue reading …
This Is How Employee Tracking Software Works Employers generally want to optimize employee productivity. However, this can be challenging if …
Continue reading …
How To Screen Share a Computer Without Them Knowing Screen sharing is a handy tool to remotely monitor another person’s …
Continue reading …
Can Remote Computer Access Be Traced? Remote computer access has become increasingly common after the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote access tools …
Continue reading …
Is Employee Monitoring Ethical or Unethical? Scores of employees now favor remote work because of the flexibility it affords them …
Continue reading …
How To Spy on Other Computers on the Same Network You might need to monitor what others do on your …
Continue reading …
Can Someone See a Laptop Screen Without Permission? Cyber surveillance is no longer the forte of intelligence agencies. Many tools …
Continue reading …
How To Monitor a Child’s Computer Without Them Knowing There are many reasons why a parent might want to monitor …
Continue reading …
How To Choose the Best Live Screen Monitoring Software There are a number of reasons to choose a reliable live …
Continue reading …
Can Employers Track Computer Activity? 5 Facts With the growing popularity of the work-from-home model, there is an ever-growing need …
Continue reading …
How To Remotely View Your Child’s Computer Screen Between adult content, viruses, groomers, and cyberbullies, parents today have a lot …
Continue reading …
Best Software To See What Another Computer Is Doing Many options are available if you want to monitor a computer …
Continue reading …
Can a Remote Desktop Be Monitored? What You Need To Know. Sure, governments, intelligence agencies, and large corporations with endless …
Continue reading …
Is Employee Monitoring Software a Good Idea? Employers have been monitoring employees forever; they’ve just never had tools as sophisticated …
Continue reading …
Is It Possible To Watch Someone’s Computer Screen? Computers have become a critical part of our lives, whether at work …
Continue reading …