Companies using tech to keep an eye on employees is nothing new. But the spyware that tallies productivity and ensures you’re logged in on time is so last decade. We’re living in an AI world, folks.
Let’s look at what might be taking a close look at you or someone you know who’s working remotely.
It all started back in the good ol’ days …
… when we were sitting on our couches, baking bread and hoarding toilet paper. Employee surveillance software exploded when millions of workers went home during the 2020 COVID lockdown. Employers wanted ways to check if their employees worked their hours, did their jobs and generally toed the line.
Three years later, life has returned to normal. But many people are pushing back, saying they are working at home and loving no commute.
There’s a big push on why employers need software to track workers’ work. They say this kind of surveillance is invasive and a sign of petty micromanaging, judging everything from time on work chat apps to their computer keystrokes.
But 85% of leaders report remote work makes them worry employees are slacking or snacking on the job. Spoiler: Many are, and that’s life. I can tell you that I’m not one of that 85% of leaders. My team busts their butts every single day. I don’t need to track anyone.
What AI will track
AI’s marketing propaganda promises surveillance can lower stress and help employees feel better. That’s a lofty goal. So what’s out there? Here’s a short list.
- Listening to customer service reps to detect stress in tones of voice and remind them to take a break. That’s nice. Imagine, though, you get too many notifications.
- Let’s say you’re in a meeting. AI is analyzing your facial expressions to see if you’re paying attention (you’re probably not) or getting stressed asking for a pay raise (you probably are). All this tracking goes right into your employee file.
- How’d you like to wear wrist sensors on the job to track your heart rate, perspiration and movements throughout the day? When I worked at IBM, my manager told me I went to the bathroom too many times a day, as tracked by my badge that opened the door. I went three times which she said was “excessive.” And that wasn’t anything close to AI.
- New AI sensors can assess your mood through recognition technology and automatically adjust your office, such as lowering the temperature and dimming the lights. Maybe you’re just hungover? I mean, even working on an elevator has its ups and downs.
Remember, while AI is having a kumbaya moment with your feelings, it’s also tracking what you are doing. This brings up a ton of HR and legal issues. What happens with all this data? Who has access to it? Where does it go? No good answers to any of these questions yet.
Is this such a good idea?
Here’s the thing: Studies have shown AI can lower workplace stress, but only when it’s doing busy work for employees. Reducing stress is a noble goal, but adding AI eyes to the mix isn’t great for our at-work blood pressure.
Required workplace surveillance can track what we’re doing at home for hours — that’s already approaching mother-in-law levels of stress. Now, tech is promising to watch our facial expressions and listen to our tone of voice?
No wonder workers are saying, “I’m sorry, HAL, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Maybe AI is best left to making Wes Anderson parodies. For now, I prefer people-based solutions to stress.