If you have ever felt like big brother is watching you at work, it probably is. It is all happening due to the advent of technological tools and employee monitoring apps that let organizations monitor their employees like never before. With increased surveillance come increased concerns regarding privacy. Companies call it one of the ways to keep the employees productive or evaluate their performances etc. but sometimes, it can be a sheer invasion of privacy.
You are probably here with the concern already and want to know about how to protect your privacy at work. You are one of the many people in Zimbabwe with the same concern. But don’t worry, even if your company is under strict surveillance, there are ways you can protect your privacy.
Keep workplace and personal devices separate
You must know this rule already but it’s the most ignored rule. Don’t use the corporate devices for anything personal. All employers tolerate a certain amount of personal use when it comes to company-owned devices. Like if you are using the company’s laptop outside job hours, you won’t be monitored. However, if you have kept personal data on the company’s phone or computer, than the ownership of that data is blurred. If the device is taken away from you for some reasons, you may not get a chance to retrieve any personal data.
Want to keep your personal info to yourself? Here is some advice, keep separate work and personal devices. Don’t use the company’s laptop to access your personal email. Don’t log into your social media accounts from the company’s system. In short, don’t mix home and office.
Read the privacy policy of the company
Most companies have such policies that require the management to randomly check on calls and emails exchanged on the company-owned devices during the office hours. Since these belonging to the company, they have the right to make sure they are being used right. Some offices don’t restrict their employees from using the company’s gadgets for personal use but they do keep tabs on them. So it is in your best interest to know about all the policies your organization holds against your privacy.
Find out how the company is monitoring you
You know your company is monitoring, Ok great but how? Is it merely using surveillance cameras or also a monitoring app? Let’s suppose it is www.xnspy.com, the employee monitoring app. You need to figure out what kind of activities does this app monitors. Xnspy allows you to monitor emails, internet browsing history, record keystrokes entered on the phone, track location, and read text messages, IMs etc. This means your company must be monitoring all of that on the phone it has provided you.
Once you know about that, you will know what your company can access on its devices. This is usually outlined in organization’s policy document. If you have checked the policies and nothing about monitoring is mentioned there, just ask. You have every right to know.
Be careful with Social media posts
We all love sharing our daily experiences on social media, right? But when it comes to sharing stuff about your workplace, you better watch out. The details that you share can be misused. This can be against the integrity of your company. Even if it is not, it is always best not to show your workplace emotions on social media. For instance, anything you say about your boss or a coworker can easily reach them and this can put your job at stake.
Don’t bring personal files to work
If your employer is not using an employee monitoring app to keep tabs on you, there are lots of coworkers out there who want to know what you are up to and hence they might be spying on you. Such people have a habit of going through the computers of other employees. This also applies to any personal files you carry to the office. They will try their best to get their hands on your stuff. It is best not to bring personal documents to the work but if you must, then make sure they are kept safe.
Look out for other indicators
You may not be able to know everything about your company’s monitoring tactics since some organizations don’t document it all. Therefore, it is recommended to be on the outlook for other indicators that show you are being monitored. Apart from using the best cell phone monitoring apps and surveillance cameras, some companies go one step further for monitoring their employees. You never know if you are working for such a big brother.
There is nothing much you can do about if you are being tracked at work. However, if you feel your privacy rights are being violated, your first course of action should be to read your employer’s privacy policy carefully again. Then, you can approach the company’s human resources for expressing your concerns about privacy invasion.
About Author:
Jacob Mason is a writer with a passion for the stories that connect us all together.
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6 comments
I can remember a red hand popping up when you tried to log into gmail from work. In those days Internet was limited in Zim so you had no option as it was quicker than the telone dial up. And how a big fuss would be made over it! Suppose we have all matured since then!!!
If you have something you have to hide, you shouldn’t be doing it at work. It’s a very simple rule. It applies even when you aren’t being monitored.
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I have been into catering business for years now and it became almost impossible to track the employees when we had different orders going on simultaneously. Thanks to the Xnspy monitoring app that has made tracking easy for me!
Perhaps most of the problems today’s arise due to either clash of communication or lack of communication. Keeping your personal devices off during the work help a lot to retain focus.
There are many issues in monitoring by the companies. Its like invading the privacy of the employees. If they want to monitor us, that must be a controlled monitoring.