Should AI Be Used To Monitor Employee Performance in Real Time?
Photo by Chris Yang on Unsplash
Artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated various aspects of human life, evolving from a mere tool for checking the weather to a pervasive force in surveillance and efficiency. Recently, a video surfaced on social media showing the controversial use of AI in a coffee shop, raising eyebrows and sparking debates among netizens.
In the video, a coffee shop is seen employing a video analytics tool provided by NeuroSpot, dubbed the Neuro Bionic Video Recorder. This tool purportedly offers real-time monitoring of employee performance and customer behavior. It tracks metrics such as the number of cups served by baristas and the duration customers stay at tables.
Netizens expressed discomfort at the intrusive nature of the technology, with some likening it to dystopian surveillance tactics. While NeuroSpot claims its focus is on security and theft prevention, skeptics argue that its implementation feels dehumanizing, raising concerns about employee privacy and autonomy. One user shared a similar sentiment regarding the invasive nature of workplace surveillance, drawing parallels to other dystopian concepts like the World Economic Forum's proposal to track employee focus using implanted chips or headsets.
According to research from Top10VPN, demand for employee surveillance software surged by 54% between March 2020 and June 2023.
The American Psychological Association reports that more than half of employees (51%) are aware of being monitored by technology while working. This awareness has taken a toll on their mental health, with 32% of monitored employees reporting fair or poor mental health compared to 24% of those not under surveillance.
The shift from traditional methods like badge swipes to sophisticated AI monitoring tools is evident. Employers now track employees' log-in and log-out times, communication patterns, and even their online activity. According to CNBC, software like Traqq monitors app and website usage, while Time Doctor offers video screen recording to ensure workers are focused on tasks.
Despite the purported benefits of enhanced security and reduced misconduct, most Americans oppose AI surveillance at work. Pew Research Center data reveals that a staggering 81% of workers feel it intrudes on their privacy.
Leslie Hammer, a professor at Oregon Health & Science University, warns of the detrimental effects of this surveillance on employee-employer relationships. "When employees feel they are not cared for or trusted by their employers, they are likely to have lower levels of commitment to the organization and perceive lower levels of psychological safety and higher levels of stress, all negatively affecting the relationship between employees and their employers, and specifically their managers and supervisors," Hammer explained.
While some workers acknowledge potential benefits, such as improved security and reduced workplace misconduct, the consensus leans toward the negative impacts of AI monitoring. Hammer emphasizes that the stress and anxiety induced by surveillance outweigh any perceived advantages, highlighting its adverse effects on employees' psychological and physical well-being, as well as job performance.
AI Employee Surveillance Is Already Mainstream
In the era of remote work and digital communication, many large U.S. companies are turning to AI monitoring systems to analyze employee interactions on platforms like Slack, Teams, and Zoom. CNBC reports that these systems boast capabilities to analyze both text and image content, aiming to gauge sentiments and identify various behaviors.
While some tools focus on innocuous tasks like assessing overall employee reactions to corporate policies, others delve deeper into individual posts and behaviors. Aware, a leading provider of such systems, offers AI models capable of identifying bullying, harassment, discrimination, and more.
Major corporations like Chevron, Delta Air Lines, Starbucks, T-Mobile, and Walmart are among the users of these systems, with Aware claiming to have analyzed billions of interactions across millions of employees.
Despite building upon existing monitoring tools, concerns arise regarding the potential for overreach and invasion of privacy. Critics worry about the Orwellian implications of AI surveillance, emphasizing the need for robust privacy legislation and oversight. Jutta Williams from Humane Intelligence warns against the "thought crime" aspect of such monitoring, likening it to treating employees as mere inventory.
Amba Kak from the AI Now Institute raises further concerns about the chilling effect of AI surveillance on workplace communication, highlighting the need to protect worker rights and privacy. Additionally, there's apprehension regarding the potential de-anonymization of aggregated data, posing risks to employee privacy and confidentiality.
As companies navigate the balance between security and privacy, the use of AI monitoring systems raises complex ethical and legal questions. While the technology offers insights into employee behavior, its implementation must be accompanied by robust safeguards to ensure transparency, fairness, and respect for individual rights in the workplace.