GAO: The sheer act of surveillance can contribute to workers’ feeling less confident or enthusiastic about their jobs. Image: Plus69/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffDigital surveillance tools such as cameras, microphones, and computer monitoring software used in the workplace can help monitor employees’ productivity and efficiency but also come with downsides to the employee and the organization, the GAO has said.
In a posting that addressed such monitoring in general but that also is germane to the use of such “bossware” in the federal workplace, the GAO noted that usage has increased with growing workplace flexibilities such as telework. Employers “have raised concerns that workers are slacking off when working from home”—a concern that has been voiced repeatedly by congressional Republicans in recent years who have pressed agencies to more closely monitor their offsite workers.
The GAO said that another upside from management’s point of view relates to security, including 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.”
However, such tools “are putting employees on edge and having other negative effects that could impact their mental health, morale, productivity, and more. 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,” it said.
It also cited research raising concerns that those technologies can “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.”
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