Workplace Spying Spy

1. Use of on premise security cameras to spy on the activities of fellow employees

and what they are equipped to do. Some of these devices are able to scan and analyze , what they

Whenever a company looks at their employees and they are posting photos of themselves at work, they are expected to be working and in dress code. This can give criminals an idea of the types of people that are hired at the location and enforcement of management the location

once again brought to light the various concerns and complaints that this contentious area inevitably generates.  The idea of monitoring employees’ conversations has a certain Orwellian darkness that encourages accusations of privacy invasion and corporate spying.  Indeed, some companies have taken this too far – some reportedly even requesting their employee’s Facebook login details.  However, by and large the concept of employee monitoring – when done appropriately – seems to me to be relatively

As part of our service to our gracious client; Juggernaut Industries we have provided a set of policies and procedures in relation to Workplace Privacy. We encourage you to use this as a guide so you can formulate your own workplace surveillance policy, in the near future. Please note that we will focus upon workplace ‘surveillance’ within the context of workplace privacy. This template of the policy and procedure outline also quotes the Workplace Surveillance Act 2005 (NSW) and is directly bound by this legislation.

Did you know that 58% of employers have fired workers for Internet and email misuse? And 48% justify employee video monitoring as an effort to “counter theft and violence?” According to the “2007 Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey” of which 304 U.S. companies participated in, computer-monitoring results have led to the highest cause of employee termination. These companies used several tactics to eavesdrop on employees while claiming to be managing productivity or for security purposes. Some argue that surveillance is absolutely necessary to help protect and grow a business; others argue that employee and customer rights come first. However, companies that use such tactics often violate the privacy of individuals, exploit their private information and even punish those that do not conform to their standards.

“Employee privacy has become a greater concern as more and more employees have turned to the Internet and other electronic media to communicate both on and off the job. ... Employers can generally search through anything that happens on company computers” (Employee

The paper is a brief insight into electronic surveillance in the workplace. It focuses on what video surveillance is; and what methods are used, such as monitoring phone usage, video surveillance, monitoring email, internet usage, GPS surveillance of company vehicles and cell phones; and why these methods are adopted within the workplace. It also focuses on the legal risk of electronic surveillance with the concerns of invasion of privacy and its effect on the of workplace protocol and guidelines.

Observation is an effective way of assessing people’s behaviour in their working environment, this gives detail and analysis of current behaviours.

Surveillance of employees is a mandatory subject in regards to bargaining. Surveillance is sometimes used in the coercion of employees. The employer can do this by using photographs or surveillance cameras. The National Labor Relations Board believes that if a company photographs employee’s that are participating in activities protected by the act, that the employer violates the act and the rights of the employee and can also make the employee feel intimidated. In contrast, the National Labor Relations Board states that if the surveillance is of mere observation and is open, public activity that is on or close to the employer’s property, then it does not violate the act. If there is a reasonable belief of employee misconduct then employers

Electronic surveillance is almost a way of life in the United States. Everything from law enforcement, military, government, banks, parking facilities and etc use electronic surveillance. It is usually put into place to enhance the security for people and property, detect wrongful or lawful activities or the interception of information that if let out to the public could be harmful and embarrassing to the company. The only place within a company that I know of that you can’t have surveillance is in the restrooms. So, I think that Herman’s use of surveillance is sufficient. In business you have to keep your competitive advantage and if an insider who knows your business workings lets it out, that business could quickly be at a disadvantage.

Employer monitoring is often seen as an intrusion of privacy for many employees. Companies observe their people in various ways from online usage, social media and emails. Furthermore, organizations now have policies and procedures in place that outline how much accessibility they have to what their staff view and write on company time. The top reasons employers say they monitor is to keep the personnel safe, determine how work is being done and to deter disgruntled employees from giving away company secrets (Mello, 2012).

The main argument made by The Week Staff in their text “The Rise of Workplace Spying”, is that modern technology has greatly expanded employee analysis in companies. More specifically, The Week Staff argues that companies are utilizing software programs to scan employee’s accounts, computer fields and the employee’s efficiency in their job. The Week Staff address, “Henry Ford famously paced the factory floor with a stopwatch, timing his worker’s motion in a bid for greater efficiency. He also hired private investigators to spy on employees’ home lives to make sure personal problems didn’t interfere with their work performance” In this passage, The Week Staff is suggesting that companies are trying

* In today’s world of fast-developing technology, in which the click of mouse can dispense a plethora of information, privacy for job seekers and employees is a significant issue. One type of privacy issue in the workplace occurs when a company gathers or circulates private or personal information about employees or candidates for employment.

Many modern day commercial firms have a system of computer based network to track the activities of their employees at the workplace. Employers can track the emailing and browsing history alongside any other activity carried out by an employee using computers even if they clear the history (Reynolds, 2011). Companies are on the run to come up with strict policies to track the use of the computers among employees. Some firms argue that computer based monitoring is important although it is quite expensive to install and maintain (Hugl, 2013).