New techniques


Continuous technological innovation means that there is a strong likelihood of employers bringing in new surveillance techniques in the future which are not covered by this booklet, but may have already been reported in the USA. For example, the use of drone cameras to monitor large workplaces or wearable technology which tracks and monitors mood and human interaction.


While the intensification of surveillance practices in the workplace is likely to have a damaging impact on workers’ stress levels, some employers are now encouraging employees to wear health monitoring trackers as part of corporate wellness programmes. This practice is already common in the USA. As with other forms of workplace monitoring, the use of such technology is open to abuse by employers, and needs to be accompanied by agreed workplace policies setting clear parameters as to where and when it is acceptable for workers to be monitored, how this is done, what the information gathered is used for, how and for how long the information is stored and who has access to it.