Computer Monitoring

Computer-based monitoring is an increasingly common form of surveillance in the workplace. As the number of employees using computers has increased, so too has the prevalence of computer-based monitoring. A standard form of computer-based surveillance is monitoring the performance of employees, such as data entry operators, who spend the majority of their work time on a computer. The devices used are capable of tracking the number of keystrokes per minute, error rate, time taken to complete each task and time spent away from the computer. The information obtained can be used by supervisors for a number of reasons including to monitor speed and accuracy, to determine pay rates and to discipline for failure to perform at the required standard. In addition to performance or productivity monitoring, computer-based monitoring can involve an employer having the ability to access all the files on an employee's computer. Some technology even enables an employer to watch an employee's screen as he or she works. Associated with access to the contents of an employee's hard drive is the technological potential for employers to monitor an employee's e-mail and internet usage. The key reasons cited by employers for monitoring internet and e-mail usage are diminished productivity, potential legal liability and information theft.