The advancement of technology has profoundly altered the way workplaces run, and workers are now subjected to the negative impacts of “Dystopian” surveillance techniques that particularly target young people, women and ethnic minorities. According to a new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research thinktank, women and black workers are 52% more likely to face surveillance, while young people aged 16-29 in low-skilled jobs are 49% more likely to be surveilled at work.
This increase in workplace monitoring has happened as a consequence of a rise in remote work, but the report has highlighted that this has gone largely unregulated. The IPPR therefore recommend that the UK government consider outlawing practices such as keystroke monitoring and share data collected with employees.
In addition, institutions such as the TUC are calling for measures such as an employment bill that would include the right to disconnect alongside digital rights that seek to improve transparency around the use of surveillance tech. In fact, research has estimated that the number of employers using employee monitoring tools has doubled since the beginning of the pandemic and is expected to rise to 70% in the next three years.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) was founded in 1988 and is an independent think tank and charitable organization based in London in the United Kingdom. The think tank creates original, evidence-based policy solutions to ‘promote social justice’ and their mission is to ‘lead debates and set agendas’ on issues such as Brexit, technological innovation and green transition.
Michelle is a south-east London based accountant and financial controller and her work experience has shown her the way these invasive surveillance techniques have become more and more present. She has highlighted the detrimental impacts it has on an individual’s mental health, pointing out that sometimes employees don’t even have time to drink water without worrying if somebody is watching their every move.
That being said, she also explains that it can also have a positive effect on women, as feeling safer can sometimes feel like a false sense of security if footage or monitoring processes are not watched in real time.
The introduction of strong legal regulations is essential to prevent the misinterpretation of ‘Dystopian’ employee surveillance and its damaging psychological effects. It can be difficult for employers to understand the implications this monitoring can have and the implications it can have on their staff. In order to ensure the wellbeing of employees and to ensure a more efficient and productive workplace, clear regulation is needed that can protect workers and provide clarity and security.
