Nearly a third of British managers say their organisations are now monitoring employees’ online activity, according to new data from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
The CMI poll of over 900 managers, notes that over one in three (36%) said their organisation monitors on-site workers, while a similar figure (32%) said the same for hybrid teams, and 30% for remote staff. The most common forms of monitoring include tracking login and logoff times (39%), monitoring browser history (36%), email content checks (35%), and screen activity recording (14%).
So-called ‘bossware’ – software that can be installed on an employee’s computer or mobile phone – can include employee monitoring software, workplace analytics and / or automatic time tracking or productivity monitoring software.
More managers said they support (53%) than oppose (42%) the monitoring of online activities on employer-owned devices in their organisations, with one in seven (13%) feeling this ‘strongly’ and two in five (40%) ‘somewhat’.
Supporters of online monitoring argue that it helps prevent misuse of systems (56%), protects sensitive data (55%), and ensures compliance with regulations (42%). More than a quarter believe it supports fairness (28%) and helps manage performance and workload (27%).
Among managers who oppose online surveillance, the vast majority say it undermines trust between employers and employees (79%), creates a sense of being watched (70%), and harms morale (58%).
However, there is broad agreement from both sides that transparency matters. More than half of managers (54%) said they would want clarity on what is being tracked and why, if their organisation introduced monitoring and 20 per cent would raise concerns with HR or their line manager and 16 per cent would say they would consider seeking another job.
“Surveillance can offer short-term reassurance, but it can risk long-term damage to trust, morale and workplace culture,” said Petra Wilton, Director of Policy and External Affairs at CMI. “Effective management depends on trust, fairness and confidence. If online monitoring is used, organisations should be transparent and openly communicate what is being tracked and the reasons behind it.
Surveillance should not undermine trust or replace effective, personal performance metrics. Leading organisations are transparent, honest and focus on constructive feedback to help employees perform their best.”
The use of surveillance software also risks employers leaving themselves open to regulatory or legal scrutiny. As senior solicitor in law firm Harper James’ Data Protection team, Becky White, pointed out.
