When I had to make the hard decision to put my cat to sleep last year, I was heartbroken. And as one does, I called my mom. She had made the same tough decision herself many times throughout her life.
But I immediately ran into a problem: I called my mom during the workday. My mom was working remotely for a call center that used surveillance software to track how quickly she answered phone calls anytime it rang. She was allotted two 15-minute breaks a day, and one 30-minute lunch.
She could tell immediately that I needed more of her attention, and, like any mom, she was going to give it to me. She used one of her short breaks to listen to my heartbreak. The surveillance software left no flexibility, forcing her to hurry off the phone before either of us were ready. I know her lack of attention wasn’t personal, but I still couldn’t help but feel isolated from her. And she was left worried about how I was doing and disconnected from me without an ability to check in. I quickly recognized just how damaging surveillance practices can be to employees and their wellbeing.
Employee monitoring is on the rise.
In 2024, almost half of all employees experience their online activity being monitored by their employers.These practices were in place before the pandemic, but with the rise in remote working, more companies began investing in maintenance and surveillance software to ensure a productive workforce.
The New York Times reported on “The Rise of the Worker Productivity Score” in 2022, with an article that simulates the experience of having your performance tracked by scrolling speed and time spent away from the page while reading. The experience was stress-inducing to say the least, and aligns with the research on employee surveillance.
Consequences on worker mental health are real.
Studies show that electronically monitored employees have increased stress, lower morale and satisfaction, and decreased skill attainment in learners. The data continues to overwhelmingly prove that this software is harming workers.
Employees who are monitored are more likely to:
Say their work environment has a negative impact on their mental health
Report feeling tense or stressed during their workday
More frequently express feelings often associated with burnout
Compared with unmonitored workers, workers who are monitored feel that they do not matter at their workplace, that they are not valued, and that they are micromanaged.
My mother’s experience aligns with the research.
The American Psychological Association reports that data has clearly shown that productivity monitoring tools do not lead to better performance. They are counterproductive for the organizations that use them.
My mother told me that feeling like she was always being watched created its own stress, saying, “You just knew that human moments could be used against you at all times.” The computer was unforgiving.
If personal time was needed outside of my mother’s breaks, her productivity metrics would be impacted. This created a lack of comfort to speak up if there were ever problems.
For every anecdote about the benefits of monitoring, there are equal reports of increased injuries, privacy concerns, and the emergence of mouse mover technology that works around the intended outcomes anyway.
What employers can do instead.
Instead of utilizing this technology to micromanage employees, company leaders can focus on building autonomy, trust, and safety. In our 2024 survey with The Harris Poll, 86% of U.S. workers cited autonomy and flexibility as actions their employers can take to make their overall work experience better.
If your organization is committed to utilizing these technologies, you can reduce anxiety and build trust by notifying employees about how the information is used and why. Studies show only 32% of employees report receiving formal guidelines or policies about online surveillance in their workplace. Even better, use these technologies to see when employees might be overworking to create healthier workflows that are more sustainable long-term. Encourage managers to build relationships with teams where safety is foundational. As Brian Elliott shares, “Falling back on management-through-monitoring is falling back on the weakest form of management — and one that drives down employee engagement.”
When inevitable human moments impact someone’s wellbeing, trusting your manager improves the chance that you will proactively seek support rather than waiting for a crisis to occur. You can still utilize performance management systems to root out unproductive workers without lowering the engagement of performers who would otherwise remain valued members of the team.
As for my mom? She moved on to a new role where she has more autonomy and flexibility—and she is not alone in this choice.
Now, she even has the freedom to answer my call.
Author:
Carrie Grogan is a Principal at Mind Share Partners. Carrie leads impact-focused advising for companies and leaders on how to create a culture of support for mental health in the workplace. She facilitates Mind Share Partners’ workplace training and leads strategic projects.
Carrie holds a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Specialized Studies from Ohio University. She also holds a certificate in Mental Health First Aid and an Instructor Certificate in Strengths-Based Education from Gallup.