Employee surveillance continues to grow, with up to 80% of major businesses monitoring their employees’ use of internet, email, and more.
There’s also talk of having employees wear fitness monitors, in addition to the already-common usage of CCTVs in the workplace.
But why are businesses spending so much money to monitor their employees? Is it worth it?
If you’re considering employee surveillance in your business, here are some of the pros and cons of that decision.
Why Employee Surveillance is a Good Thing
1) Employees work more effectively. When employees know that they’re being watched, they are more likely to avoid engaging with their smartphone, take time to themselves, use the internet, or engage in other time-wasting activities. For some businesses, that alone increases employee productivity and business success.
2) You may reduce theft. Workers know many ins and outs of your business. Some unscrupulous employees may take advantage. Whether it’s small machines, pens and paper, or products that go missing, it’s entirely possible that employees may be to blame. Employee surveillance is enough to deter most would-be thieves.
3) Your workplace safety may increase. Employees who are being watched in a warehouse or factory setting are less likely to cut corners, engage in unsafe behavior, or lose their tempers. In the long run, this practice leads to better safety habits and awareness.
The Cons of Employee Surveillance
1) People don’t like being watched. Employee surveillance — particularly if it involves more than one or two forms of monitoring — can lead to intense stress, low motivation, and aggravation. Good employees often balance out their work with socialization or brief internet breaks. This is time when an employee wouldn’t necessarily be working, anyway.
2) It may lead to higher turnover. Depending on the level of surveillance, some employees may feel motivated to find a new job in their spare time. Most employees view even routine surveillance as highly punitive, and high-performers will quickly get frustrated with lack of flexibility.
3) It’s expensive. Besides causing your employees stress, many business owners shy away from employee surveillance because of the cost involved. CCTVs, monitoring software, and more can cost several thousand dollars.
There’s also the question of hiring someone to maintain the surveillance data. Without active oversight, employees may figure out how to “game the system,” and will quickly resume their negative habits when they realize there’s no punishment involved.
4) Legal issues may arise. The laws regarding employee surveillance are nebulous at best. While most employees expect their computers and emails to be monitored, additional forms of surveillance may be called into question.
The Bottom Line
Whether or not you decide to conduct surveillance on your employees depends on many factors. Do you value productivity over having a good team culture, highly satisfied employees, and lower turnover? And are you prepared to pay for a surveillance system — as well as monitoring for that surveillance system? If the answer to both of those questions is “yes,” you should consider some method of monitoring your employees.
Vodigy Software is a trusted custom software provider to the St. Paul and Minneapolis area. We specialize in providing expert guidance and assistance to businesses. If you need help integrating software with your business, contact us today!
