Ian Wylie
Aside from a little bruising, Kevin Warwick is feeling no side-effects from last month’s operation to remove the silicon chip implanted under the skin inside his left elbow.
The skin chip has the capability to become a household aid: turning on lights, opening doors or switching on the television as you approach. But it is the chip’s use in the workplace that is creating most interest.
“Companies could offer jobs on the proviso that employees have an implant, enabling the employer to keep track of their staff, clocking them in and out while barring intruders from entry,” explains Warwick.
“Each time an employee changed jobs, they could be fitted with a new chip. It might take a moral leap on the part of the employer, but with the technology, anything is possible.”
Of course, no company would really want that kind of control over its staff. Or would it? The evidence suggests your employer wants to know much more about you – enough to tap your phones, read your e-mail and videotape your movements.
Research in the United States has revealed that 40% of companies keep a log of their workers’ phone calls, while 16% videotape employees.
The United Kingdom isn’t far behind. A survey of workplace reps found that one-third were aware of breaches of privacy at work. One in seven said they knew of situations where information about the private lives of employees had been misused or obtained without permission. One in 20 knew of an employee being observed by an investigation agency.
Fraud prevention is the common excuse companies use for installing surveillance equipment. A recent report claimed that up to 85% of fraud is committed by company employees. Others install cameras to catch in- house vandals.
But there are greyer areas. Telephone bugs are being used, for example, by less scrupulous companies that suspect one of their staff is touting for a new job.
Here are a few ways your bosses could be digging the dirt on you:
l Vetting- job applicants are being asked to disclose increasing amounts of personal information. Developments in genetic testing are also enabling companies to conduct medicals that will predict the future health of potential employees.
l Snooping -many employees enjoy the freedom of open-plan offices, but these also allow bosses the freedom to snoop. Don’t be fooled into thinking personal information held in desks, drawers and filing cabinets is safe from prying eyes. They are all company property, and employees have little right to privacy.
l Personal computers – keystroke activity is already a common method of evaluating employees’ productivity in call centres. The Computer Keyboard Monitoring System, for example, transmits every keystroke to a receiver. Software packages can also allow bosses to watch an employee’s screen.
l E-mailis probably the least secure way of communicating in the office. E- mail can be particularly damning as it carries a date and time. Employers can be alerted to key words, like the boss’s name or bad language. Even when e-mail is deleted, it is likely to remain on the company’s servers.
l Telephone taps -software which analyses numbers dialled and received is commonly used. Voicemail messages can be accessed by a third party.
l Closed-circuit television -matchbox- size cameras can be hidden inside clocks, radios or fire extinguishers.