Skip to main content
Log in

Surveillance in Employment: The Case of Teleworking

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper looks at various ways teleworking can be linked to surveillance in employment, making recommendations about how telework can be made more acceptable. Technological methods can allow managers to monitor the actions of teleworkers as closely as they could monitor "on site" workers, and in more detail than the same managers could traditionally. Such technological methods of surveillance or monitoring have been associated with low employee morale. For an employer to ensure health and safety may require inspections of the teleworkplace. When the teleworkplace is in the home, there may be an invasion of privacy associated with such inspections, that could be perceived and resented as surveillance. A problem of telework is that teleworkers may feel isolated. Methods to counter this could be associated with further forms of surveillance, and fear of such surveillance may inhibit them from reaching their potential as methods to counter isolation. The idea that teleworking may also allow communications to be intercepted by third parties is also looked at. Some, but not all, of the issues considered are applicable, to some extent, in non-teleworked employment situations. The overall conclusion of the paper is that the potential exists for surveillance to be associated with telework. Fears of such surveillance may turn actors against telework. However, much can be done to reduce such fears.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aiello, J. R. and Y. Shao: 1993, ‘Electronic Performance Monitoring and Stress: The Role of Feedback and Goal Setting’, in M. J. Smith and G. Salvendy (eds.), Human-Computer Interaction: Applications and Case Studies (Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam), pp. 1011–1016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aiello, J. R. and K. J. Kolb: 1995, ‘Electronic Performance Monitoring: A Risk Factor for Workplace Stress’, in S. L. Sauter and L. R. Murphy (eds.), Organizational Risk Factors for Job Stress (American Psychological Association, Washington, DC), pp. 163–179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bibby, A.: 1996, Trade Unions and Telework: Report produced for the International Trade Secretariat FIET, Autumn 1996 at http://www.eclipse.co.uk/pens/bibby/fietrpt.html accessed 04.03.1998.

  • Brown, W. S.: 1996, ‘Technology, Workplace Privacy and Personhood’, Journal of Business Ethics 15, 1237–1248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Browne, N.: 1995 (Delegate and Branch Chair, Union of Communications Workers), ‘Conclusions’, in N. Browne, Teleworking Conference Report: “WORKING ON THE INFOBAHN” Teleworking & The Labour Movement. Conference held at Manchester, England, 13.01. 1995. At http:/www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~misc2/telwkcon.htm, accessed 21.10.1997, also at “Teleworking Conference Report by Nic Browne (Part 2)” http://opus.freenet.vancouver.bc.ca/ labour/women/women_an.txt accessed 21.10.1997.

  • Bunyan, N.: 1997, ‘Ex-police chief wins phone tapping case’, Daily Telegraph, 26.06.1997, U.K. News.

  • Campbell, D.: 1997, ‘Europe spikes spooks' e-mail eavesdrop bid’, The Guardian, 15.10.1997, Online.

  • Cook, E.: 1995 (National Officer, Union of Communications Workers), ‘The Teleworking Directory Enquiry Experiment at Inverness’, in N. Browne, Teleworking Conference Report: “WORKING ON THE INFOBAHN” Teleworking & The Labour Movement. Conference held at Manchester, England, 13.01.1995. At http://www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/~misc2/telwkdir.htm, accessed 21.10.1997, also at “Teleworking Conference Report by Nic Browne (Part 2)” http://opus.freenet.vancouver.bc.ca/ labour/women/women_an.txt accessed 21.10.1997.

  • Dandeker, C.: 1990, Surveillance, Power and Modernity: Bureaucracy and Discipline from 1700 to the Present Day (Polity, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, S.: 1998, ‘EU Simmers Over Menwith Listening Post’, Daily Telegraph, 16.07.1998, Connected p. 6.

  • Department of Trade and Industry: 1998, Secure Electronic Commerce Statement 27.04.1998 (Department of Trade and Industry, London) at http://www.dti.gov.uk/CII/ana27p.html accessed 30.07.1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Telework Online: 1996?, ‘Teleworking – Telework (Telecommuting): the Benefits’, at http://www.eto.org.uk/faq/faq03.htm accessed 04.03.1998.

  • Foucault, M.: 1979, Discipline and Punish: the Birth of the Prison, A. Sheridan (tr.) (Penguin, Harmondsworth).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fried, C.: 1968, ‘Privacy’, Yale Law Journal 77, 475–493. As reprinted under the title ‘Privacy [A moral analysis]’ in F. D. Schoeman (ed.): 1984, Philosophical Dimensions of Privacy: An Anthology (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Girard, J.: 1998 ‘Should Home Computers be Used for Telecommuting?’, North America Network Service Providers, Remote Access, Mobile Business Strategies, Network Business Management, and Telecommuting and Remote Access, each 02.02.1998, Document number KA-030-5078 (Gartner Group, Stamford, CT) at http://advisor.gartner.com/inbox/articles/ iheadline5.html accessed 23.03.1998, but not accessible online 30.07.1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lally, L.: 1996, ‘Privacy versus Accessibility: The Impact of Situationally Conditioned Belief’, Journal of Business Ethics 15, 1221–1226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyon, D.: 1994, The Electronic Eye: The Rise of Surveillance Society (Polity, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Manning, R. C.: 1997, ‘Liberal and Communitarian Defenses of Workplace Privacy’, Journal of Business Ethics 16, 817–823.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odgers, G.: 1994, ‘Occupational Health and Safety and Industrial Relations’ (Union Research Centre on Organisation and Technology, Melbourne) at http://teloz.latrobe.edu.au/testra/pgandpip/isochs2.html accessed 03.03.1998.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parkinson, A.: 1995, ‘Teleworking in Britain’, in G. Hollinshead (ed.), Work and Employment, Issue 4, Teleworking (Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol), pp. 2–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogerson, S.: 1998, Ethical Aspects of Information Technology: Issues for Senior Executives (Institute of Business Ethics, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Samuels, P.: 1996, ‘Who' Reading Your E-Mail? Maybe the Boss’, The New York Times, 12.05.1996, p. F11 as reported in Spinello, 1997.

  • Schoeman, F. D.: 1984, ‘Privacy and Intimate Information’, in F. D. Schoeman (ed.), 1984, Philosophical Dimensions of Privacy: An Anthology (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spinello, R. A.: 1995, Ethical Aspects of Information Technology (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spinello, R. A.: 1997, ‘The Case for E-Mail Privacy’, paper presented at The Second Annual Ethics and Technology Conference, Chicago, 06–07.06.1997. At http://www.cmsu.edu/englphil/spinello.htm, accessed 21.10.1997.

  • Stanworth, J. and Stanworth, C.: 1991, Telework: The Human Resource Implications (Institute of Personnel Management, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Symes, C.: 1995, ‘Teleworking – A Critical Perspective’, in G. Hollinshead (ed.), Work and Employment, Issue 4, Teleworking (Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol), pp. 4–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Union of Communication Workers: 1992?, Pamphlet: The Teleworking Directory Enquiry Experiment at Inverness (Union of Communication Workers, London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Utility Consumers' Action Network: 1997, ‘Fact Sheet # 7: Employee Monitoring: Is There Privacy in the Workplace?’, at http://www.privacyrights. org/fs/fs7-work.html, accessed 05.03.1998.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fairweather, N.B. Surveillance in Employment: The Case of Teleworking. Journal of Business Ethics 22, 39–49 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006104017646

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006104017646

Navigation