The rise of remote working has prompted many employers to equip themselves with monitoring tools to ensure that their employees don’t procrastinate when they’re not in the office. Employees experience this increased digital surveillance as an attack on their privacy and independence, and would be prepared to make sacrifices to remedy the situation.

Nearly one in two Americans reportedly agree or are on the fence about taking a pay cut to ensure that their employers could not monitor their online activity in the workplace, according to a survey by Checkr.* This feeling was particularly strong among younger workers, including 54% of Generation Z and 47% of Millennials. As for Baby Boomers, 45% say they would be prepared to earn less in exchange for a little more digital privacy at work.

These figures show the extent to which online monitoring raises tensions within the American workforce. This is because remote monitoring tools have become considerably more sophisticated. There is now software that takes screenshots with the computer's webcam to ensure that the employee is actually at work, while others record keystrokes or mouse movements.

This veritable arsenal of tools is making not only employees, but also the American authorities, feel nervous. In May 2023, the White House announced that it would be looking into how companies use these technologies, aware that they can entail “serious risks for workers”.

And yet, employers in the US use them widely. Fifty-six percent of workers surveyed by Checkr say that their superiors monitor their online activity during working hours - a practice that 65% of them experience as an invasion of their privacy.

But the overwhelming majority of respondents are most concerned about not knowing exactly what data about them is being collected by their company, or how it is being used.

To remedy this, employers need to show transparency and restraint towards their employees. Too much surveillance can quickly be perceived as “snooping”, leading to increased stress and reduced job satisfaction.

In the long run, these negative feelings can push people to quit. So it might be best to refrain from spying on remote workers, especially since this type of working arrangement has been shown to boost productivity.

 - AFP Relaxnews