Effect of Technology on Workplace Privacy Essay

Effect of Technology on Workplace Privacy - Essay Example As the masses became cognisant of the consequences followed by the increasing attacks to individual's privacy in the workplace owing to the development in surveillance technology, the demand for legal demarcation strengthened and eventually several laws were created by the government to curtail and confine the scope of the surveillance technology to accomplish only the legitimate objectives of the employers. Although, these laws have been developed by most of the countries to protect the rights of both the employers and the employees in particular, yet there has been an ongoing debate on the compatibility of unravelling surveillance technology with the laws and legal boundaries confining the scope of intrusion into an employees' privacy. Therefore the major issue concerning this essay is the extent to which the advancement into workplace surveillance technology is consistent with the laws and what could be done to bring it to the level proposed by the different laws and legal authorities. The surveillance in the workplace has existed in historical era in the same manner, as it seems to be prevailing in the modern times. However, the major difference remains in the introduction and development of different forms of technology that have further assisted the way to introduce more and more sensitive surveillance in the organisation. ... Consequently, the employees or the labour force could not be capable of putting all of their efforts into the organisational goals, however they kept on selling their services to the employers and organisations on agreed terms and conditions. Hence, their happened to be direct and physical surveillance on the part of the employers influencing the employee motivation and work behaviour. According to Rushing (1966), due to such acts in the past, the employers never became aware of the fact that they could have gained more by driving their motivation towards work. However, this was the initial form of developing surveillance in the workplace by the employers and this trend remained prevalent throughout the 20th century. By the end of the 21st century, the technology took a rapid progression and the workers continued to fall prey of the new development in technology affecting the workplace environment with regard to privacy and convenience. The new advancements into technology result into change in working as well as surveillance needs and as a new innovation in technology takes place, the perceptions and conceptions concerning the surveillance at workplace also change. Therefore, the level and intensity of workplace surveillance alter with the development and advancement of technology. SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, WORKPLACE PRIVACY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK The recent rise in the surveillance activities on the part of the employers both positively and negatively have constantly been attributed to the world's continuous advancement in technology. Unique and modern measures keep on evolving regularly to facilitate the employers in keeping an eye over the employees and their activities. The use of technology in workplace surveillance