'Why do I feel like somebody’s watching me?' Workplace Surveillance Can Impact More Than Just Productivity

Do you ever get that eerie feeling like someone’s watching you at work?

In today’s digital world, employers are increasingly using digital surveillance tools to monitor workers. While many employers say that digital surveillance has benefits like increasing worker productivity, most workers say being watched gives them the creeps.

The question is—does this constant monitoring actually work? Does it increase productivity and safety, or is it killing morale and causing other issues?

For Halloween, today’s WatchBlog post answers these and other questions, while looking at our new report about digital surveillance tools.

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Cameras, microphones, and tracking software—oh my! Why do employers like “bossware?”

Often referred to as “bossware,” a wide range of digital surveillance tools are used in all kinds of workplaces. These include warehousing, retail, trucking, health care, and banking, to name just a few.

Digital Surveillance tools include everything from cameras, microphones, and computer monitoring software to advanced tracking software (like GPS), app-based monitoring, and even wearable devices that track workers’ health data.

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Why do employers like digital surveillance? The primary aim of digital surveillance is to monitor workers’ productivity, performance, and efficiency. It allows employers to identify specific areas for improvement and provide targeted coaching, training, and other support. Some employers began using surveillance tools after increasing workplace flexibilities for their staff, such as remote and hybrid work arrangements. Employers who allow telework have raised concerns that workers are slacking off when working from home. Digital surveillance tools allow employers to check whether their staff are working from where they say they are (and not… the beach, for example).

Some employers said they also use digital surveillance tools to increase workplace safety and health. For example, in oil production, one employer uses wearable devices to track workers’ sweat levels and electrolyte loss to help prevent heat stress on the job.

Digital surveillance also bolsters security to ensure that only authorized personnel enter sensitive areas. With innovations like facial recognition technology, employers can swiftly respond to potential threats, creating safer working environments. For example, a labor union official commented that GPS-enabled panic buttons are used for hotel housekeepers to “alert hotel security if they feel unsafe or threatened, a not uncommon occurrence for housekeepers who have faced sexual harassment and assault from hotel guests.”

Even with these potential benefits, employers weren’t always sure how effective their tools were. For example, perpetual monitoring had led some workers to game the system—performing meaningless tasks, like jiggling a mouse, just to meet arbitrary milestones. And the constant monitoring is leading to negative effects on workers, which may outweigh some benefits.

Under constant scrutiny—why do workers dislike surveillance tools?

Digital surveillance tools are putting employees on edge and having other negative effects that could impact their mental health, morale, productivity, and more.

• Worsens mental health: Constant surveillance can amplify workers’ stress and anxiety levels, making them feel like they’re under a microscope. The sheer act of surveillance can contribute to workers’ feeling less confident or enthusiastic about their jobs. Workers increasingly reported feeling that they cannot voice concerns or share suggestions out of fear that their digital footprint will bite back. When the work environment makes workers feel scrutinized, it may very well foster a culture of distrust.

  For example, a call center worker said that surveillance tools have resulted in an unrelenting push to improve sales. They said, “The pressure to sell and the various ways that managers can monitor me creates an enormous amount of stress.”

• Discourages unionization: Being perpetually watched can also eat away at a workers’ sense of autonomy and privacy. Consequently, some workers feel it discourages workplace solidarity and unionization efforts. When workers fear their every move is being tracked, organizing for better conditions feels risky—undermining solidarity and weakening workplace morale.
   
• Potential to create discrimination: Workers’ advocates and researchers worry about the potential for digital surveillance to create bias or discrimination. Some worry that AI-driven performance metrics might unfairly target certain groups. For instance, those who take longer to complete tasks due to disability or other factors. This could magnify existing disability, racial, or gender inequalities in the workplace.

For more spooky details, read our new report.

• GAO’s fact-based, nonpartisan information helps Congress and federal agencies improve government. The WatchBlog lets us contextualize GAO’s work a little more for the public. Check out more of our posts at GAO.gov/blog.