‘My boss is spying on me’; The rise in companies recording employees’ every move and what that means for youThere is an increasingly slippery use of bossware technology. Employers are delegating serious decisions to algorithms – such as recruitment, promotions and sometimes even sackings
Experiences such as Rachel’s are likely to become more common as companies increasingly adopt bossware, the newest form of labour surveillance that records workers’ every move. By monitoring phone calls, tracking workers’ keystrokes on a mouse, taking photos through a webcam, or picking up physical pauses, the software alerts bosses to failures to meet targets.
Surveillance technology that had previously been confined to jobs in the gig economy and insecure work, such as delivery driving or warehouse stocking, is now becoming more common in other settings. During the pandemic, remote working became the norm for many of us, and with this physical barrier between worker and employer, bosses became increasingly paranoid about slacking behaviour.
Ayse, a call-centre worker in Turkey, who works for a company subcontracted by airlines, delivery services and banks, to take customer service calls, describes how it affects her working days. She works a zero-hours contract, where her salary is based on her hours of work.
oh that's what they are calling spyware now a days, you know once there is a hole it's not just your boss that could go in.