Identify common risks of using electronic communication
Recognize ethical issues related to using electronic communication in business
Privacy in the Workplace
You can view the transcript for “Are You Being Tracked? How Companies Are Monitoring Productivity” here (opens in new window). How might companies balance their legitimate interest in ensuring productivity with maintaining employee dignity and morale, given that employers have legal authority to monitor electronic communications on company devices? What would constitute an ethical approach that balances productivity with fostering a positive workplace culture?
Answers will vary.
Companies can ethically balance productivity monitoring with maintaining a positive workplace culture through several practical approaches:
Practice transparency by clearly communicating what’s being monitored and why. When employees understand the business rationale behind monitoring, they’re less likely to feel distrusted.
Focus on measuring meaningful outputs rather than tracking inputs like keystrokes. Setting clear productivity goals while giving employees autonomy in achieving them promotes professionalism and prevents the adversarial relationship that led to “mouse jigglers” mentioned in the video.
Apply monitoring consistently and fairly across similar roles to avoid perceptions of discrimination or targeting.
Consider a graduated approach where proven employees earn greater autonomy, acknowledging that trust can be built over time.
Regularly evaluate whether monitoring actually improves business outcomes.
Do you have a back up plan?
Unfortunately, cybersecurity failures like stolen passwords and ransomware are all too common now.
If you suddenly realized that your personal information has been stolen and platforms that you need to access are frozen, what would you do?
Check out IdentityTheft.gov for resources about how to protect yourself and recover from identity theft. As for what you could do in case your school or workplace ever experiences a ransomware attack, know that you may lose access to files kept on the organization’s servers or accounts. You’ll want to keep backup copies of your most important files separately.