Can your company spy on your computer?

A good portion of employers does the monitoring of employees. The usage of employee monitoring is now extensive as found by the Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance Survey from American Management Association and The ePolicy Institute. Concerns over litigation and the increased use of electronic evidence in lawsuits playing major roles behind it. 

Your employer is most likely monitoring your workplace activities unless there are specific policies made out against them. The policies are either distributed via memos, union contracts, or any other means.

Monitoring of employees through computers/workstations

The general concept is that employers can monitor the computer or workstation as long as it is placed within the workplace. The technology allows your employer to execute several types of monitoring:

• Employee monitoring software allows the employer to see screenshots of the computers and helps detect performance degradation by keeping tabs on the web usage and running applications.
• Employers can also keep track of productive and idle hours and reschedule employee work routines if found necessary. 
• Employee monitoring software helps to keep employees engaged at work by sending periodic pop-ups throughout the designated time.

Email and instant message monitoring

Employers can see the contents inside the email and instant messaging options when used for the company. Messages within the organizational structure as well sent and received to or from another person are subject to monitoring by the governed personnel.

Employees have to be responsible while using business email and constant messaging options and be positive that the contents are being monitored. Many cases regarding workplace privacy have been declared in support of employers in the court.

Also Read: Employee Monitoring Ethics in the Digital Era

Mobile device and BYOD

In a general sense, employers can monitor the phone provided by the company. The monitoring apps installed in the phone is capable of recording your text message, email, internet usage, and many other activities.

Sometimes, employers allow using personal devices by the employees at the workplace. This concept is also known as bring your own device (BYOD). BYOD program is a challenge from the perspective of data protection and organizations have to make a balance between business security and employee privacy.