The History Of The Electronic Monitoring

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction:

The progression of information technology has molded the every day working environment of employees as well as the relationship between the groups and individuals at the work place. Nowadays workplace is characterized by the dependency on computer technology comprising the internet usage and email in order to accomplish critical business tasks. In this order, Electronic Monitoring is increasingly adopted by organizations for measuring the performance productivity of the employees at the workplace. This approach is designed to examine the job framework and worker stress theories and evaluating employee organizational performance through the aid of electronic monitoring medium. The imperative usage of electronic monitoring system implies the job demands, control and social support. The maximization in the intricacy and prevalence of the technology usage has provoked many enterprises to implement electronic monitoring system in the company. In the view of employers, their employees will obey with specified organizational benchmarks for behavior while consistently monitored. This electronic monitoring has come up with a drastic change in the organizational activities (Andrew Urbaczewski, 2002).

The electronic monitoring system utilized software that randomly captured images of employees and also exposed the online activities such as information about visited websites, its duration and relevancy with the working profile. Additionally, this monitoring software revealed about staff chat rooms, downloaded files, games, email received or sent and also monitor information about music, unraveling pornography and movies that may have been downloaded in flouting of copyright policies of the organization (Andrew Urbaczewski, 2002).

Current Trend of Electronic Monitoring and Taylor and McGregor Theory:

The application of Taylor theory in the electronic monitoring of individual at the workplace has been challenging. Through the application of electronic monitoring specified tasks of employees would be analyzed and effort implied for enhancing productivity of employees along with organization. The principles of Taylor theory are applied in the electronic monitoring system for employees by managers and employers. Every movement of employees has been monitored through computer screens. Organizations implemented Taylor’s principles in order to understand usage of internet by employees in the enterprise. For instance, specified software is engaged in carrying out motion and time studies which aimed at reducing and computing keystrokes and mileage (Andrew Urbaczewski, 2002).

The theory X by McGregor in the electronic monitoring is used to control and efficiently utilize the human energy to best suit to the organizational objectives. This theory is responsible to systematize all elements for ensuring productive enterprise as well as also facilitating motivated and controlled environment to the employees in the organization. As per the theory people are lazy and tend to challenge organizational needs and need to be guided. Through the electronic monitoring for employees, it will facilitate management a better way to examine employee’s activities and their time spending simultaneously indentifies their weaknesses and serves them appropriate solutions. On the other hand, theory Y by McGregor is more suitable with time and modern working environment. As per this theory, all elements that are to be needed for building productive environment such as tools, employees and fund are responsibilities of management. In the contrast with theory X, people are not lazy in nature or opposing organizational needs but because of working experience with several organizations, individual motivation and guidance became like this. In the view of McGregor, the most significant task for management is to place organizational environment in such a way that people may achieve their goals and objects and are able to manage their energies for the fulfillment of organizational long term objectives. After analyzing all theories of McGregor and Taylor, theory Y is more realistic as compared to others because individual in the organization feel challenging to be controlled and favor to be treated as adults who could control themselves (Andrew Urbaczewski, 2002).

Ethical Issues:

The electronic monitoring and employee observation are the latest technological advancement trends that are used in the organization in the most ethical manner. In the organization, if employees are notified about his/her monitoring then it would be considered as ethical base as no law can prevents employer from the office monitoring. The most imperative ethical issue cited concerning to the electronic monitoring are the implications of this system over the health of employees that caused by stress and privacy. Some employees supposed that they have right to verify personal emails at the workplace and make personal calls but on the other hand employer might cost him time and money if employees used time and work equipment for personal stuff. Additionally, employees considered that emails that are to be should be taken as private but employer have right to monitor organizational equipment system and emails of employees. Stakeholders are the government, employees and employer as it puts t he law which prevents or permits and controls standards of monitoring to be allowed its consequences on employee appraisal and their profession (Andrew Urbaczewski, 2002).

Conclusion:

The escalating cases of cyber loafing and lawsuits adjacent to organizations by employees has encouraged many organizations to implement electronic monitoring system in order to assess the usage of internet computer for non-job purpose. This new advancement in the organization has strengthened the organizational activities and enhanced the organizational and employees productivity.

Recommendation:

We need to evaluate tasks that will be covered under electronic monitoring and create a clear policy for internet and communications usage with the inclusive guidelines of how to follow and what will be the punishment such as termination for abusing organizational resources. These policies should tell employees about what is ethical and what is not. Additionally, employees training on communication enabled proper usage of organizational equipments and awareness about ethical and unethical behavior consideration. Along with these management should cover following policies:

The usage of business emails should be prohibited on personal communication.

The usage of organizational computer systems and equipments should be related to work matters and also not download and install personal software on official systems.

Personal calls and other personal communication should be done in the breaking hours.

Employees should inform by communicating causes and effects of misuse of official assets for personal use and assist them for proper utilization of company resources.