Employer and Employee Position on Electronic Monitoring at the Workplace

Employer and Employee Position on Electronic Monitoring at the Workplace

Introduction

Technology has eased and facilitated a number of business operations and functions. Most of these benefits and advantages can be categorized into providing a better and sophisticated information management and communication systems. However, it is important to note that technology has also introduced a number of controversies and issues in the workplaces and Organizations as well. One of these is the electronic monitoring at the workplaces and Organizations. Although, the basic aim of such a system was to monitor and control the overall environment and atmosphere of the offices. However, with the passage of time, there were raised several questions upon the various ethical concerns and controversies regarding the monitoring through various economic tools. Hence, there are still various organizations throughout the globe who although adapt these monitoring measures. However, this act is strongly condemned by the employees of those Organizations.

Discussion

There are a number of means through which an employer can monitor the activities of the employees. These include telephone monitoring, computer monitoring, mails such as electronic, postal and voice, video monitoring and social media monitoring. It is estimated, that in United States of America there are approximately twenty million workers and employees that are monitored electronically on the job. What is important to note is that these monitoring operates gamut from the keystroke counting and also telephone service observation. Whereas the statistics are usually collected on the duration, the time between, and also the number of calls. The monitoring also includes peeking or monitoring on to computer screens of the employees. In fact, in some Organizations, various "magic" or "active" badges this can track, monitor and locate the location and movements of the workers employees. However, it is essentials to note that one way or the other, the employees are fair to questions the electronic monitoring where as the employers are justified in deploying them.

Employers Point of View

There have been conducted a number of researches and surveys in the past regarding the justifications that the employers have provided for deploying these measures. The outcome results of these surveys can be summarized into one single answer. Security. Majority of the employers were concerned regarding the security of their offices, the assets and the properties, the health and safety of the employees and the security of their data and communication systems.

The first and foremost aspect is the safety and security of the lives of all the employees in the workplace on duty. According to these surveys, the management of several corporate giants have claimed that they fear several terrorist, attackers or individuals with other violent and dangerous intentions entering the office. These individuals can be a threat to the health and lives of the employee (Stanton & Weiss, 2000). The management further claims that they believe that any employee within the Organization can play a vital role in facilitating and easing these dangerous intentions of such ...