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This is how your company’s HR department manipulates and spies on you — even when you’re not at work
Glynis Sweeny, AlterNet
21 Jul 2015 at 00:35 ET
It comes to no surprise to most people that corporate Human Resources departments work in conjunction with IT to monitor employee activities at the workplace. They monitor your movements with keycards and video cameras; they register when you log in and out of your work computer; and they even track your keystrokes, your email (including your personal account) and web browsing on their workstations. It can be argued that they have the right, as it is their equipment and you are on company time. However, more and more workers are being spied on and manipulated by Human Resources in more insidious ways, and they probably don’t even know it. Here are five.
1. They monitor your personal electronics. Many companies allow employees to use their own cell phones, tablets and computers for work purposes, instead of providing these devices. Employees like this because their work life and personal life can coexist on a single device and they can use the phone, tablet or computer of their choice. This is often referred to as Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD. However, employees are often asked to install device management software on their devices, and are pressured into signing vague user policies that give the company the right to monitor and access the devices.
<snip>
Employers can also track an employee’s whereabouts through the GPS system on their personal devices. This information can be used by HR to determine how long lunch breaks are, how long an employee spends in his office, and even how many trips to the bathroom he makes. Worse yet, let’s say an employee calls in sick, but really just needs to play hookie, or a mental health day. The employer can see if the employee was really home, or if she went to the spa, mall or golf course instead.
<snip>
There are some things employers can’t do after they hijack your phone with device management software. They can’t see personal email, SMS messages, photos, videos, voicemail and Web activity, or at least IT publications claim.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/this-is-how-your-companys-hr-department-manipulates-and-spies-on-you-even-when-youre-not-at-work/
21 Jul 2015 at 00:35 ET
It comes to no surprise to most people that corporate Human Resources departments work in conjunction with IT to monitor employee activities at the workplace. They monitor your movements with keycards and video cameras; they register when you log in and out of your work computer; and they even track your keystrokes, your email (including your personal account) and web browsing on their workstations. It can be argued that they have the right, as it is their equipment and you are on company time. However, more and more workers are being spied on and manipulated by Human Resources in more insidious ways, and they probably don’t even know it. Here are five.
1. They monitor your personal electronics. Many companies allow employees to use their own cell phones, tablets and computers for work purposes, instead of providing these devices. Employees like this because their work life and personal life can coexist on a single device and they can use the phone, tablet or computer of their choice. This is often referred to as Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD. However, employees are often asked to install device management software on their devices, and are pressured into signing vague user policies that give the company the right to monitor and access the devices.
<snip>
Employers can also track an employee’s whereabouts through the GPS system on their personal devices. This information can be used by HR to determine how long lunch breaks are, how long an employee spends in his office, and even how many trips to the bathroom he makes. Worse yet, let’s say an employee calls in sick, but really just needs to play hookie, or a mental health day. The employer can see if the employee was really home, or if she went to the spa, mall or golf course instead.
<snip>
There are some things employers can’t do after they hijack your phone with device management software. They can’t see personal email, SMS messages, photos, videos, voicemail and Web activity, or at least IT publications claim.
cont'd...
Link: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/this-is-how-your-companys-hr-department-manipulates-and-spies-on-you-even-when-youre-not-at-work/
2 replies
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