Workplace monitoring is a fact of working life in the US. People say ‘whatever’

Workplace monitoring remains a significant aspect of many American employees’ daily lives, with more than half (54 percent) of non-self-employed workers reporting that their employers track their start and end times, according to Pew Research Center’s recent study into people’s perceptions of their jobs. The report highlights a variety of ways employers monitor their staff and explores workers’ perceptions of these practices.

Beyond tracking work hours, substantial portions of employees say their employers monitor communications and activities. Around 44 percent report that messages sent via employer-provided email accounts or messaging platforms are tracked, while 43 percent say their employers monitor the speed of task completion.

Additionally, 37 percent state their location is monitored while working, and 35 percent are observed for how they use their work computers, including time spent on applications or specific websites. Social media activity, however, is less frequently scrutinised, with only 12 percent of employees saying this is monitored.

The level of monitoring experienced by workers often varies depending on their educational attainment. For instance, employees with some college education or less are significantly more likely than those with a bachelor’s degree or higher to report being monitored.

Among the less-educated group, 64 percent say their employers track work hours, compared to 40 percent of workers with higher education. Similarly, 48 percent of the less-educated group say task completion speed is tracked, compared to 34 percent of their more educated peers. Monitoring of location while working also follows this trend, with 41 percent of the less-educated group and 32 percent of degree holders reporting this practice.

Despite the prevalence of monitoring, most employees find these practices acceptable. Nearly seven in ten workers (69 percent) believe their employer monitors them an appropriate amount, while 12 percent think they are monitored too closely, and only 6 percent feel there is not enough oversight. A further 13 percent are uncertain about the extent of their monitoring.

Interestingly, workers who are subject to specific monitoring practices, such as task tracking or communication surveillance, are more likely to feel their employer’s oversight is excessive. This sentiment is particularly pronounced among those whose social media use is monitored—28 percent of this group believe they are tracked too closely, compared to 20 percent or fewer for other forms of monitoring.

Nevertheless, even among those under significant scrutiny, a majority still describe the level of monitoring as fair and appropriate.