Surveillance Methods
– Software monitoring: Tracks employees’ computer activities, including typing speed, applications used, and keystrokes.
– Telephone tapping: Records phone call details and conversations, including number of calls, duration, and idle time.
– Video surveillance: Provides video feed of employee activities, stored for future reference and unbiased performance evaluation.
– Email monitoring: Allows employers to view and recover email messages, even if deleted.
– Location monitoring: Tracks employees’ movement, commonly used in delivery and transportation industries.
Legality
– Employee monitoring conflicts with employees’ privacy rights.
– Ethical monitoring policies avoid indiscriminate monitoring.
– Different countries and states have specific laws regarding monitoring, such as consent requirements and privacy expectations.
– Employers should establish clear expectations and update employee handbooks accordingly.
– Businesses can announce employee monitoring as a known tool to avoid legal issues.
Legal Uses
– Finding business information when employees are unavailable.
– Protecting security of proprietary information and data.
– Preventing or investigating possible criminal activities by employees.
– Preventing personal use of employer facilities.
– Checking for violations of company policies, such as offensive or pornographic emails.
Legal Issues
– European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of employee privacy rights in the case of Bărbulescu v Romania.
– Employees have a reasonable expectation of privacy, even if instructed not to use personal messaging at work.
– German court deemed computer monitoring reasonable but found the use of keylogging software excessive.
– Employee monitoring software developers recommend legal advice and written agreements.
– Laws regarding employee monitoring vary and need to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Impact on Employees
– Employee monitoring can create tension between employers and employees.
– Employees value their privacy, while employers aim to protect company resources.
– Clear communication and understanding of monitoring expectations are crucial.
– Monitoring policies should be transparent and avoid unnecessary intrusion.
– Employers should consider the potential impact on employee morale and trust.
Note: The content provided does not have enough information to create five comprehensive groups. Some concepts are not repeated or identical to others, and there is not enough content to create a comprehensive fifth group. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_monitoring
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Employee monitoring is the (often automated) surveillance of workers' activity. Organizations engage in employee monitoring for different reasons such as to track performance, to avoid legal liability, to protect trade secrets, and to address other security concerns. This practice may impact employee satisfaction due to its impact on the employee's privacy. Among organizations, the extent and methods of employee monitoring differ.
