Worker Describes ‘Dystopian' Time-Tracking Software At His Job That Screenshots His Work Every 10 Minutes
HIs company is determined to make sure the employees are doing what they're supposed to be doing.
voronaman | Shutterstock It can be hard to actually remain productive throughout the day while at your job, especially if you're a work-from-home employee. While some companies have measures to motivate their employees, there isn't much they can do to ensure that the work is being completed and that procrastination isn't happening.
However, in a TikTok video, an employee named Tim claimed that his job was doing their very best to make sure that he wasn't slacking off, but their methods weren't the best. Tim insisted that his company was using "dystopian" software to micromanage him.
A worker said his company uses 'dystopian' time-tracking software to track productivity.
"So, I work from home and my employer just started time tracking," Tim began in his video. "It takes screenshots every 10 minutes or so, tracks my mouse activity, keyboard activity, the URLs I visit, and what percentage of time I spend on doing whatever."
Tim explained that despite his company's best efforts to monitor the work that he's doing and ensure that he's actually completing it on time, at the end of the day, none of that changes what he does. He admitted that while he doesn't mind all of the tracking, considering he still gets his work done, the idea that his company is just taking screenshots of his work feels extremely "dystopian."
The worker worried that this type of monitoring would only worsen as technology advances.
Tim claimed that from the "owner's perspective," he understands the company wants to ensure that everyone is productive while working from home. However, micromanaging isn't exactly the best way to inspire hard work. Management expert Victor Lipman, MBA, explained that in most instances, over-monitoring can actually cause dissatisfaction, turnover, and a more complacent staff. He noted, "First and foremost, it undermines autonomy, which is an important element of job satisfaction. Employees like to be trusted as adults and have a degree (depending on the role, of course) of independent decision-making."
Considering how digital the world has become, it's a bit frightening to think that there are businesses out there that have this tool at their disposal. But the truth is, with AI advancing rapidly, it's likely only going to get worse, not better. That's something Tim was clearly concerned about.
"I just don't see how the nature of work is going to return to a better format than this," he explained. "And I just entered the workforce like a year ago from college, and I'm just thinking about my future."
The worst thing for an employee is having a micromanaging boss.
fizkes | Pexels
There's only so much that employers can do to ensure their employees are completing their work correctly and efficiently. However, research has shown that there has never been a benefit to micromanaging, which is essentially what this time-tracking software does.
According to a survey by Monster, nearly three out of four workers said micromanagement raises the biggest red flag about a workplace; almost half, 46%, said they’d leave a job because of it. It's not surprising that workers would be extremely turned off by the idea of being constantly monitored or having their every move tracked by a program.
That level of surveillance doesn't even help with productivity in the first place. Instead, it leaves workers feeling dissatisfied, especially if they've given their employer no reason to question their work. While managers want to make sure that everyone's actually working, what's more important is making sure your employees feel respected and are given clear goals that they can complete without having to be micromanaged.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
