A new poll commissioned by the Prospect Union has found that two-third of workers are uncomfortable using remote working-related technology, such as keystroke and camera monitoring.
Even more, the research found that 80% of workers would be uncomfortable with camera monitoring, while 74% said they would be uncomfortable with electronic tracking through wearables.
Additionally, nearly half of respondents said that monitoring software in their remote work positions could damage their relationship with their manager.
However, the findings revealed that more consultation could alleviate any apprehension towards such technology. 32% of workers said they would be more comfortable with it if worker representatives were there to guide them through the implementation of this technology.
“Employers are beginning to think about how their workplace will operate in the future, including a far greater prevalence of blended working and exclusive working from home,” said Mike Clancy, general secretary at Prospect. “As the new reality takes hold we will see more and more debates about the use of technology to monitor workers – the evidence suggests the workforce are simply not ready for it.”
