Business Surveillance

Business today frequently makes use of workplace surveillance and workplace surveillance systems as a way of monitoring the activities of their employees.

Types of workplace surveillance

There are many types of surveillance that could be instituted in the workplace. The most popular form of workplace surveillance is computer surveillance, which is actually a rapidly growing industry. This is also known as "employee Internet management". Computer surveillance can be broken up into two types: "Internet surveillance", and "desktop surveillance".

• Internet surveillance is the active surveillance of the user’s Internet activities. When users operate a computer on the Internet, a record of the sites that were visited and the operations that were performed by the user can be generated by Internet surveillance software. Also known as spyware, this software is able to track the user’s activities and report it to the administrator. The administrator can then report this to the employer with various techniques.
• Desktop surveillance works by the employer’s computer intercepting a signal that is given off by the employee’s computer. That is done through specific surveillance software that could be remotely or physically installed on the employee's machine.
• Facilities surveillance can involve the installation of CCTV surveillance cameras to monitor company areas and company property. This method can be used not only for theft protection but to keep a video record of access to important records or documents.

A similar but different technique involves an employer reading the email traffic sent to and from employees. Generally, if friction arises, the dispute revolves around inappropriate or non-job-related use of email by an employee. As with the telephone, many employers formally or informally permit some amount of personal email.

Benefits of workplace surveillance

Workplace surveillance can benefit the employer in many cases, and in some cases it can even have a benefit for the employee. Fear of theft in the workplace is a common reason for workplace surveillance. However, some companies used surveillance methods to enforce corporate policies or to comply with legal regulations.