LRD guides and handbook March 2020

Monitoring and surveillance at work - a practical guide for trade union reps

Chapter 1

Who is most affected?

[ch 1: page 11]

Research by the TUC found that young people and people working in large companies are among those most likely to think their employer is monitoring them.


Up to 60% of 25- to 34-year-olds, compared to 56% of all working people, think that workplace monitoring is likely to be taking place where they work. It’s even more common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with 68% thinking it’s happening in their workplace.


Meanwhile 69% of people working in large companies (250+ employees) think they are under surveillance by their employer. It only drops to 65% for those working for medium employers (51-250 employees). In comparison, 52% of people working for small employers (11-50 employees) believe they are being monitored at work.


The TUC survey also uncovered large regional disparities, with 60% of people in the North East and the East Midlands thinking that monitoring is likely to be happening in their workplace compared to a significantly lower 48% in the West Midlands.