Businesses that spy on staff without telling them are facing fines in future, the UK’s information watchdog has warned.
Frustration with people working from home and not returning to the office, especially among banks and IT firms, has led companies to start monitoring entry pass usage, keyboard strokes, and webcams to check if staff are where they say.
Some 19% of staff think they have been watched by an employer and the proportion rises to 23% for those aged between 18 and 24, according to The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which said that in the future the nature, extent, and reasons for monitoring must be spelt out.
In new guidance, the ICO said any monitoring must be necessary, proportionate, and respect the rights and freedoms of workers.
Firms in breach of these guidelines face fines under privacy rules and in the most serious cases, the ICO can penalise a business up to 4% of global turnover.
Emily Keaney, Deputy Commissioner of the ICO, said: “Our research shows that monitoring at work is a real cause for concern, particularly with the rise of flexible working - nobody wants to feel like their privacy is at risk, especially in their own home.
"If not conducted lawfully, monitoring can have a negative impact on an employee's well-being and worsen the power dynamics that already exist in the workplace.
"We want people to be aware of their rights under data protection law and empower them to both identify and challenge intrusive practices at work."
Any data collected on staff movements should be processed in line with data protection laws and made available to staff through a Subject Access Request (SAR).
"We are urging all organisations to consider both their legal obligations and their workers' rights before any monitoring is implemented," Keaney said.
"While data protection law does not prevent monitoring, our guidance is clear that it must be necessary, proportionate and respect the rights and freedoms of workers."