Your boss has more ways than ever to monitor what you're doing at work

"Your boss has never had more ways to peer over your shoulder. It's not new for bosses to watch workers, of course - especially on corporate devices. But technology updates that let employers better monitor whether you're in the office, or view texts on employer-owned devices, are giving employers even more control. Employer surveillance has grown because of the rise of remote work, and because of a proliferation of tools that allow for monitoring, a recent report from the US Government Accountability Office found."

"Now, not only has tech improved, say workplace observers, so has the power of many employers over their workers. Discussions over worker monitoring are "one of the pieces on the chessboard" in negotiations between employers and employees, said Ben Zhao, a computer science professor at the University of Chicago. It's a reversal of a pandemic-era power shift that briefly favored workers on issues such as more flexible hours or remote work."

Technology updates enable employers to monitor employee presence, messages, and activity more effectively. Employers can detect whether employees are in the office and view texts on employer-owned devices. Surveillance expanded alongside remote work and a proliferation of monitoring tools. Increased monitoring shifts power toward employers, especially as the job market cools and bosses scrutinize logins more closely. Employers cite security and legal risks from unsanctioned AI tools and external chat platforms used to find and share information. Some negotiation over monitoring and disclosure occurs between employers and employees, but undisclosed surveillance poses risks to workers' privacy and trust.

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