One in five UK adults believe they have been monitored by an employer, a poll has found, as the Information Commissioner’s Office called for bosses to respect staff’s right to privacy if they wish to keep tabs on them at work.
The survey, commissioned by the ICO, comes against a backdrop of unions pointing out that workplace surveillance increased during the pandemic.
The poll asked 1,012 people if they believed they had been tracked in any of a number of ways by an employer, such as monitoring timekeeping, access or clocking in and out; tracking internet activity or keystrokes; or taking screenshots or webcam footage. The list also included the use of monitoring software, recording audio or video, the tracking of location at work, and surveillance of phones, personal devices and social media channels.
The most common practice was tracking timekeeping and access, at 40%, followed by monitoring emails, files, calls or messages, at 25%.
A vast majority (70%) of respondents to the poll, which was conducted by Survation, said they would find it intrusive to be monitored by an employer. Younger adults (18- to 24-year-olds) were least likely to hold this view, at 60%; while those aged over 55 were most likely to find it invasive, at 76%.
The practice, or at least knowledge of it, appeared more widespread among younger generations, with 23% of those aged 18 to 24 and 25% of those 25 to 34 believing they had been surveilled by a boss. For those aged 35 to 44, it was 26%, in contrast to just 11% for those aged 55 and above.
As the ICO published guidance on workplace monitoring for employers, Emily Keaney, deputy commissioner of regulatory policy, said: “Our research shows that monitoring at work is a real cause for concern, especially with the rise of flexible working – nobody wants to feel like their privacy is at risk, especially in their own home.
“If not conducted lawfully, monitoring can have a negative impact on an employee’s wellbeing and worsen the power dynamics that already exist in the workplace. We want people to be aware of their rights under data protection law and empower them to both identify and challenge intrusive practices at work.”
ICO guidance states that it must be “necessary, proportionate and respect the rights and freedoms of workers”, Keaney said, adding that the ICO would take action where it believed people’s privacy was at risk.
Excessive tracking is associated with higher staff turnover rates, and evidence suggests it can lead to resistance and counterproductive outcomes.
Andrew, a postal worker in southern England, is among those who have experienced monitoring, via the handheld device workers carry that gathers information on how long they take to complete their round. Simon Thompson, Royal Mail’s outgoing chief executive, in February admitted that postal digital assistants (PDA) were used to pressurise workers to work faster, but blamed rogue managers for using the information in breach of company policy.
Andrew said that while he had not been called up on it, he claimed colleagues had experienced “performance coaching” using data gathered by their PDA. “It’s not a nice thing – you know you’re constantly being tracked. Part of being a postie is having a bit of time out in the community and talking to people. You kind of feel, especially with our job at the moment being massively understaffed, under pressure to just run out and get it done.”
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The postal worker said monitoring affected how he carried out his work. “It’s a little bit invasive: there’s times you have to go off route to use the bathroom and you’re always wondering if it’s going to come back to you. I still try to be part of the community, but it definitely influences how much time I spend talking to someone.”
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Our PDAs are used by our postmen and women across the country to let customers know where their items are whilst in transit, what their delivery preference is and the predicted time of delivery. They do not track our people in real time. As per the agreement with the CWU when they launched in 2018, they facilitate fair, manageable and balanced walks.”
Mary Towers, the TUC’s AI lead, called for new employment legislation and unions to be consulted on the introduction of workplace technology. “Worker surveillance tech took off during the pandemic – and its use continues to grow unchecked. When used as part of AI-powered management systems, these technologies could lead to widespread discrimination, unfair treatment and gruelling work intensification.
“Employers are putting serious, career-changing decisions in the hands of technology – such as promotions and sometimes even sackings. But UK employment law is way behind the curve – leaving many workers vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination.”
