UK consults on limits for workplace monitoring tools

In short: The UK government is asking for public feedback on new rules for workplace monitoring, as more employers track staff activity on computers.

What happened

The UK government has opened a consultation, which is a formal request for comments, on “workplace monitoring technologies.” It covers tools that track things like keystrokes, emails, and how long someone is active on a work device.

The consultation closes on September 30. It applies to England, Wales, and Scotland.

The Financial Times reports that monitoring has been growing quickly, especially since remote work increased during the pandemic. The UK data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), previously found that one in three employers monitored staff digital activity last year, up from one in five employers three years earlier.

Lawyers quoted by the FT say the government could choose a lighter option, such as a new code of practice. Courts could then consider that code in disputes, and compensation could be adjusted by up to 25 percent if an employer unreasonably failed to follow it.

A bigger change would be a new legal duty for employers to consult and negotiate with trade unions or elected staff representatives before introducing these tools. The consultation also mentions, as a possibility, giving worker representatives a right to block the use of monitoring tools.

Why it matters

For workers, monitoring can feel like having a supervisor standing behind you all day (even when you are at home). For employers, new rules could add time, cost, and paperwork before they can roll out monitoring or security systems that also collect worker data.

Source: Financial Times