Work Surveillance

Workplace surveillance takes many forms: from the general deployment of cameras to observe employee behavior to very specific and intrusive monitoring of location or keystrokes, speech patterns, and facial gestures. As work and home life become more tightly integrated, some workers are required to report on personal matters, such as exercise and nutrition, that managers believe might influence their performance; others are required to download an app that enables their managers to locate them any time of the day; and still others have been requested to provide their personal social media passwords. This entry reviews the history of workplace surveillance and discusses contemporary workplace surveillance, including its effectiveness and regulation.