Question

Surveillance in the workplace: What is the biggest issues, in your opinion, from both the employer and employee position?

Answer 1

Workplace surveillance is a major concern because of the increasing incidents of violence at workplace, unethical and unlawful employee conduct, identify and property theft cases, data privacy, ineffective performance, lower productivity, etc, many other behavioural as well physical conduct which is offensive at workplace. Therefore, employers to minimize such incidents and risks arising out of these incidents, taking steps to monitor the employees through various methods like electronic monitoring using video monitoring, e-mail or text monitoring, monitoring the use of internet at workplace, recording of telephone calls and voice mails and sometime monitoring them off duty also. In spite on urgent need of such monitoring, both employers and employees have some serious issues with Surveillance at workplace which is different for both. Employers on one side feels it important to film the workplace with informing their employees about the place of cameras but employers are restricted and to be very careful while maintaining the rights of the employees like privacy should be maintained at places like washrooms, locker rooms, restrooms, union meetings, etc. Employers should not cross the limit as it is against the privacy rights of the employees. There have been cases when employers has crossed the limit for surveillance which resulted in serious punishment for the business.

On the part of employees, various issues like they feel offended by filming their actions at workplace. Their small small actions are recorded and sometimes statements or actions out of fun may result into serious issues for them. Telephone recording, e-mails tracking, etc challenge their privacy and sometimes unnecessary disclose of their personal life’s. It also disturbs employees morale and results in clashes between employer and employees.