In recent years, more and more people have been working from home, which has many benefits, like better work-life balance and reduced costs for companies. However, tracking what these employees are doing is harder, so employers need to find new and ethical ways to monitor them.
Conventionally, employers judged how well their employees were doing by seeing if they were at work and doing stuff. But now that many people work online, it’s harder to tell. That’s why some managers use special software to watch what their employees do on their computers, like checking what keys they press, what websites they visit, and even using their webcams.
While the desire to ensure productivity is understandable, how to monitor work from home employees has become a common concern for many organizations nowadays. Even then, the use of employee monitoring software raises several ethical concerns that need to be addressed. Hence, let’s look into some key issues on the matter.
Ethical dilemmas in remote employee monitoring
As companies adopt remote work, they face a tough decision of how much to monitor their employees. While monitoring can help measure productivity and performance, it raises concerns about privacy, autonomy, and trust.
- Privacy concerns: One of the biggest concerns with monitoring remote employees is privacy. Employees might feel uncomfortable knowing that everything they do is being watched, which can lead to a feeling of being invaded and not trusted. This makes managers or employers find a good middle ground between keeping an eye on productivity and respecting their employees’ privacy.
- Autonomy and trust: Undoubtedly, remote work offers employees the freedom to manage their own schedules and work environments. However, excessive monitoring, such as using software or tracking tools, can make them feel micromanaged, reducing their engagement and morale. Where trust is essential in remote work relationships, constant monitoring may indicate a lack of trust from employers, which can further erode morale and loyalty. If you’re still wondering how to monitor work from home employees effectively, you must find the midway that respects their autonomy and productivity while still ensuring accountability and performance.
- Fairness and bias: Remote monitoring systems might be unfair to some employees, even if that is actually not the case. For example, the tools used to track how much work people do might not consider that some people have to take care of others. Also, not being in the same place as your coworkers can make unfair treatment based on race, gender, or disability even worse. Employers need to make sure that their monitoring systems treat everyone equally.
Constructive approaches to remote monitoring
When it comes to monitoring employees who are working remotely, some ethical concerns need to be considered. However, there are positive ways that businesses can handle this situation responsibly.
- Transparency and consent: Employers need to be honest about using monitoring tools and get clear permission from employees. It’s important to talk openly about this so that employees feel they can raise any concerns they have.
- Purposeful monitoring: Instead of watching everything, employers should focus on specific things that matter for the job. This helps to keep an eye on important things without being too intrusive. This targeted approach minimizes intrusiveness while still providing valuable insights.
- Flexibility and accommodation: Employers should recognize that one size does not fit all and offer flexibility and accommodation to employees with diverse needs and circumstances. This may include adjusting monitoring protocols for employees with caregiving responsibilities or providing alternative work arrangements.
- Regular feedback and support: Monitoring should be a two-way street. That is why, managers are suggested to give regular feedback and support to employees based on what they’ve learned. This helps everyone to keep getting better at their jobs.
The future of work is undoubtedly remote-first. By following the above-mentioned approaches, organizations can create a successful remote work environment without resorting to intrusive monitoring practices. Keep in mind, that engaged, empowered employees are more productive in the long run.
A final note
Technology is a powerful tool, but its effects will be positive and long-lasting only when used responsibly. While employee monitoring software can be useful, it should not be the only way to manage a remote team. Trust, communication, and focusing on outcomes are key to helping your remote team succeed.