Is Big Brother Watching? The Hidden Truth About Remote Work Surveillance

big brother is watching

Companies ramp up monitoring on staff working from home

Have you ever felt like someone’s watching over your shoulder, even when you’re working from home?

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how trust and surveillance intersect in our hybrid working world and I came across some news articles and research that really brought this issue to light.

The Rise of Employee Surveillance

According to a recent article in The Guardian, monitoring of staff working from home is on the rise.

Take Mae, a marketing professional referenced in the article; she says she is experiencing increasingly intense levels of workplace monitoring.

She says her company requires her to use monitoring software that takes a screenshot of her computer every ten minutes.

Her day is dominated by her “activity score,” a percentage calculated on how much she types and moves her mouse.

But like many knowledge workers, Mae’s role involves a lot of thinking, planning, and attending virtual meetings—tasks that don’t require constant keyboard activity.

If she’s in a Zoom call, her activity score drops to zero.

If she spends time brainstorming or writing notes on paper, the system marks her as inactive.

To keep her activity score high, she often pauses the tracker during tasks that might lower her score. However this means she then has to work longer to ensure the system shows she worked her contracted hours.

“I feel constantly watched,” she confided. “I’m being judged by an automated system that doesn’t reflect the quality of my work. It’s frustrating.”

She says she usually ends her day with dry eyes and headaches because she feels she can’t step away from her screen.

The Weight of Constant Monitoring

The same article highlights the experience of Carlos, who works in customer service for a well-known bank in London.

He says every moment of his workday is monitored when he works from home.

Incredibly, he says he’s even been grilled by his manager if his bathroom breaks are longer than expected!

“Our ‘performance’ is counted by the minute,” Carlos shared. And to make it worse, he isn’t even told how his performance metrics are calculated.

“That’s what makes the job really stressful—it’s not transparent,” he said. “It feels like there’s no trust. I’m constantly anxious about meeting these invisible standards.”

This constant pressure has understanably taken a toll on his wellbeing. “It makes you fearful,” he admitted. “You always worry about being watched. It’s draining.”

Pushing Back On Surveillance Or Slacking Off?

The same article highlights the experience of Carlos, who works in customer service for a well-known bank in London.

He says every moment of his workday is monitored when he works from home.

Incredibly, he says he’s even been grilled by his manager if his bathroom breaks are longer than expected!

“Our ‘performance’ is counted by the minute,” Carlos shared. And to make it worse, he isn’t even told how his performance metrics are calculated.

“That’s what makes the job really stressful—it’s not transparent,” he said. “It feels like there’s no trust. I’m constantly anxious about meeting these invisible standards.”

This constant pressure has understanably taken a toll on his wellbeing. “It makes you fearful,” he admitted. “You always worry about being watched. It’s draining.”

Pushing Back On Surveillance Or Slacking Off?

These stories highlight a growing issue. When employees feel pressured to be constantly active, some resort to using things like “mouse jigglers”—devices or software that imitate keyboard and mouse movements and stop their computers from going idle.

Recently, Wells Fargo dismissed over a dozen employees for using such devices.

At first glance, it might seem like these people are trying to avoid work. But perhaps it’s more about pushing back against unrealistic expectations and a lack of trust?

When monitoring software equates inactivity with laziness, even when you’re attending a meeting or deep in thought, it’s no wonder employees feel the need to find workarounds.

The Flawed Logic of Surveillance

The assumption that constant activity equals productivity is however fundamentally flawed.

A report by the Trades Union Congress found that 60% of employees have experienced some form of workplace monitoring, and many finding it intrusive.

And the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office also warned that excessive monitoring can infringe on privacy rights and harm employee wellbeing.

When employees feel they’re under constant surveillance, it creates stress and anxiety.

Mae experiences physical symptoms like headaches and eye strain and Carlos describes his work environment as being filled with fear and pressure.

This surely isn’t the recipe for a productive workforce!

In fact, according to a survey by Forbes, 39% of employees say that monitoring negatively impacts their relationship with their employer, and 43% believe it harms company morale.

So, if the goal is to boost productivity, this approach seems to be backfiring.

Trust as the Foundation of Productivity

Research appears to back this up. A study in the Harvard Business Review found that companies that trust their employees experience 50% higher productivity.

Trust encourages a sense of responsibility and commitment, motivating employees to perform at their best.

Overbearing monitoring and surveillance achieves exactly the opposite whereas trust fosters a positive work environment where individuals feel valued and respected.

This leads to much higher levels of engagement and productivity than any kind of monitoring ever will!

Some old-fashioned company executives may argue that without monitoring, it’s impossible to know if their staff are working productively.

However, you and I and the majority of people working remotely or in a hybrid position take pride in our work and want to contribute meaningfully.

Excessive surveillance actually undermines motivation, leading to disengagement.

By focusing on outcomes rather than constant oversight, employers can create a culture that promotes efficiency and innovation.

So what is needed is trust, open communication and clear expectations. This replaces the need for intrusive monitoring.

Building a Culture of Trust

It’s time to rethink how we approach productivity in the hybrid work era.

Companies should prioritise quality over quantity and people over processes.

Surveillance might offer a sense of control, but it doesn’t lead to sustainable success.

We need workplaces where employees are evaluated based on their contributions and results, not arbitrary metrics of activity.

This shift naturally leads to a more satisfied, engaged, productive, and loyal workforce.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Have you experienced anything similar to Mae or Carlos?

How does your workplace handle remote work and trust? I’d genuinely love to hear your perspective.

Until next time, take care!

P.S. If you found this discussion valuable, please share it with others who might relate. Navigating remote and hybrid work is a journey we’re all on together, and sharing our experiences can help us find better ways forward.

About the Author

Hi My name is Steve Hall. If there are things about your life you wish were better but you have little to no idea about what steps to take to get you from where you are now to where you want to be then you’re in the right place!