Future of Workplace Monitoring, Essay Example

Employee monitoring has become an increasing interest to companies due to the increase in web browsing and lawsuits.  With this, employee monitoring has become easier and more cost effective due to the innovation of new technology.  In fact, according to the American Management Association, 45% of companies in the year 1999 were recording and reviewing employee phone calls, e-mails and computer files. (Privacy Issues at Work)  Although the internet surge in the past decade has been a huge success for companies, the internet has also prompted individuals to use the internet for personal interests during work hours.  Lim (2002) indicates that, “anecdotal evidence suggests that the Internet is a double-edged sword which companies should deploy freely to employees with caution.”  Employers, therefore, want to verify that their employees are in fact working, which in turn, a conflict develops as employees do not wish to be carefully monitored.

New technologies allow for employers to monitor different aspects of an employees’ job through telephones and computer terminals. The monitoring is unregulated unless a company policy indicates it; therefore, an employer is able to listen, watch and read all communications made by an employee. Although employee monitoring is legitimate, it can create a negative view for the employee. The solution is to selectively monitor employees and communicate the policies to the employees in a way which suites the best interest of the company.  There are some strategies that a company can follow in order to promote a positive view for the employee, such as educating the employees about the monitoring, keeping the monitoring work-related, making it reasonable in regard to personal usage, updating the policies according to the state laws and giving notice and obtaining consent from each employee. (Tech Republic) Employee monitoring is meant to benefit the company and increase an employees’ performance, not to intrude in the personal lives of an employee. Therefore, monitoring employees can be an effective and positive manner that is vital to the success of the company.

Works Cited

Lim, E. and Vivien F.  “The IT way of loafing on the job: cyberloafing, neutralizing and organizational justice”. May 2002.  Journal of Organizational Behavior. 23, 675-694.

Tech Republic.  “Issues to consider when implementing an employee monitoring program”. 2011.  Retrieved on December 7, 2011 from: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/issues-to-consider-when-implementing-an-employee-monitoring-program/5615878

Privacy Issues at Work. “Sales & Marketing Management”[Online].  July 1999. v151 i7 p94. Available: http://web1.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/in.dyn=13!xrn_4_0_A55 072851.