Summary
With remote work on the rise, many companies have increased surveillance as a means of ensuring productivity when workers are away from their desk; however this has had the inadvertent effect of weakening trust. The answer may lie in a middle ground of deploying targeted software that seeks to support employees rather than police them.
Remote work has transformed the modern workplace, offering flexibility and new ways to collaborate. However, many employers are watching, sometimes too closely. A recent ExpressVPN study found that 85% of UK businesses use digital surveillance on remote workers. Yet, excessive monitoring may do more harm than good. More businesses are using surveillance tools to track active work hours (54%); review emails (36%); scan chat logs (28%); conduct real-time screen monitoring (27%); log keystrokes (15%); and track physical locations (20%). Instead of addressing productivity and security challenges, many rely on monitoring as a quick fix. Lauren Hendry Parsons, Vice President, Communications & Advocacy (Global); and UK Country Manager at ExpressVPN, warns: "These findings highlight an urgent need for greater transparency and trust in the workplace. Employers must strike a balance between enabling productivity and respecting employee privacy, no matter where their employees are working." She adds: "Over-surveillance can lead to a toxic work environment, increased stress, lower productivity, and ultimately, higher turnover rates."
Rather than improving performance and security, surveillance often leads to disengagement, distrust, and poor cyber security habits. Despite assumptions, no UK law explicitly mandates or prohibits employee monitoring. Many organisations fail to communicate their monitoring practices, leaving employees unaware of what is being tracked. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) advises transparency, but compliance is not legally enforced. To balance security with trust, leaders should prioritise transparency over surveillance. Clearly communicating what is monitored and why builds trust, while focusing on outcomes instead of micromanaging activity empowers employees. When monitoring is necessary, it should detect security threats, not scrutinise productivity. Lightweight, non-intrusive solutions like ThinkCyber’s Redflags offer real-time, context-aware guidance to help employees build secure behaviours without invasive monitoring. Surveillance may seem like a simple way to ensure productivity and security; however, it creates more problems than it solves. Instead of excessive monitoring, leadership should build trust, foster accountability, and encourage a culture of security awareness. Employees who feel valued and empowered are more likely to work securely and productively without the pressure of constant surveillance.