How Employers Could Be Spying On You While Working From Home

Some managers and CEOs are turning to "productivity management" software to track their employees while they work from home. How do systems like this affect employees? And are there limits to the ways in which employers can track their workers in pursuit of productivity?

According to a new survey, 77% of workers want to continue to work from home at least once a week when the coronavirus pandemic is over.

But many managers worry that employees won’t work as much, or as hard, when they’re not in view. Consequently, some are turning to “productivity management” software to track their employees while they work from home.

One such software company, Prodoscore, said it has seen a 600% increase in interest from prospective customers since the pandemic hit. Another, TransparentBusiness, said it has seen a 500% spike in users month to month.

“We take a number of data points, be it a CRM tool that they are currently using, a phone system like a Vonage, an email system, it could be G Suite or Microsoft 365. We aggregate all those data points in a real time, proprietary dashboard that provides them a weighted score,” said Prodoscore CEO Sam Naficy. “All of it is recorded.”

But what kind of impact do systems like this have on workers? And are there limits to the ways in which employers can track their workers in pursuit of productivity?

“There are many employers that are looking at this and thinking this is a real opportunity to reshape work,” said Jamie Woodcock, a senior lecturer of people and organizations at The Open University. “Will it benefit people who are working and are now able to work in new ways? Or will it benefit employers who will find new ways to get the most out of people’s time they’ve bought to make people work even harder? ”


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You're Probably Being Tracked While You Work At Home

[youngaries]

Tech manager for 10 years. My employees work best when I set clear goals and tasks, and then leave them alone. If I stand over their shoulder, they'll feel stressed and the work will take longer. What these ridiculous companies don't understand is that tracking software won't solve their poor leadership problems. If your leaders can't inspire your employees to work, even remotely, no amount of tracking software will make them more productive.

[jcrami]

This idea that you should be hyper-productive all the time is exactly why employees are sick & tired of 9-5 jobs

[torvic]

Time tracking is in the past, work should be measured by results instead.

[shaunasmall]

So glad I'm a business owner and will never have to deal with this nor will I ever impose this on my employees. Set goals and tasks and completion timeliness and everything will be ok. As long as the work is done by the deadline, it's ok with me .

[Opethfeldt]

You know what the biggest threat to productivity is? Stress. By increasing stress, this software will only make people less productive over time, increase the number of errors employees make and increase the number of call outs. In addition, it also lowers employee morale. Overall, the benefits aren't worth the drawbacks.

[YashaswiSinghBartwal]

The fact that employers are focused on a productivity report and micromanagement rather than the actual work is how the downfall begins. My last employer used a tool which made even taking a bio break a nightmare. Imagine being marked down because you went to toilet

[artenman]

Productivity scores? What a great way to promote QUITTING.

I was fired during the pandemic because I was taking "too many breaks" based on the monitoring software results. As a graphic designer, I spend a decent amount of time sketching ideas on paper and I believe this was not taken into account but I didn't even defend myself from the accusations. I always delivered the work on time and I didn't feel like begging for a job that is focused on measuring productivity on a micro level...

[themoddingprodigy]

I absolutely despise this kind of micromanaging a person's life. As a company owner, I am paying people to do the job, and if the work is done properly then that's what I would look at. Whatever they do at home is none of my business and shouldn't be. They are human beings with lives. If they aren't productive that reflects on the quality of work, and surveillance instead of counselling and conversation, makes it worse

[rockerfaerie]

I work as a 911 dispatcher. They have a system to see how many calls we answer and how long we are in “not ready” aka not taking calls. Some supervisors will send out an email saying, “Make your phone ready!” Without checking in with the employee. However, some supervisors have gotten in the habit of coming out and seeing what’s going on. 99% of the time we are working on another task. For example last night I was entering a DV restraining order which requires precision and accuracy. When the supervisor came out to check in why I wasn’t actively answering calls, she saw I was working on it and left. Like the guy in the video said, just talk to your employees and have a human conversation with them. We all know who the lazy employees are; deal with them accordingly and leave the rest alone.

[ateamfan]

Micromanaging and surveillance is a terrific way to tell your employees you have no confidence or trust in them. Just set clear expectations of goals and track progress and results toward those.
The problem is that most management is completely incompetent and incapable of communicating clear goals and expectations. When management cannot communicate and cannot balance resources against priorities, then they have to resort to some other bogus methods of collecting data to show "productivity".

[michaelrief]

I’m retired now since 2016 but when I was working as a field serviceman the corporation started up that location tracking on us so they could see exactly where we were located on a computer map. I will never forget when my supervisor called me up once asking me why she couldn’t see my vehicle moving and it appears that I’m at a fast food restaurant. When I told her I was taking a dump in the bathroom she hung up on me and sent me a scathing email for providing too much information and she copied all the other managers and she said she was putting this email in my permanent record.
I wrote her back and copied all the managers and pointed out that the bathroom at the office is right down the hallway there and my bathroom is wherever I can Find One.
She never called me again while I was on the Road.

[mohitkapoor]

Even most efficient worker would say it creates a hostile work environment. It creates stress and paranoia.

[carolsteffers]

I have been working 8 years from home. I designed my own spreadsheets to monitor my progress. The secret for success is consistency and self-discipline. I don't need anyone to monitor me.

[Ecosdelalma.]

The people using this software are the bosses that slack off themselves so they think everyone is like them.

[mech-E]

You should monitor people by the quality of their output and NOT based on what they do to get there

[doujinflip]

If managers want to monitor employee productivity, the subordinates should have equal access to their supervisor’s metrics. Anything less than complete two-way surveillance will breed animosity and contempt.

[TheCrazySoundStudio]

When an Employer tracks their Employees, It tells the Employer that they don't trust the Employee to get their work done. It's totally invasion of privacy.

[Vlogstafy]

This is such a violation of privacy. I wouldn't feel comfortable one bit knowing my every move is being tracked. And as far as I understand, this would usually only be limited to the office space, but now it's been extended to the privacy of our very own homes too? Terrible.

[lizk]

That big belly CEO is proudly telling us he gets off on spying on his employees.