While there are many benefits of using employee monitoring tools in a working environment, there have often been cases where employers tend to misuse the information that the software generates. After all the employer is at a greater advantage than the employee and according to nature’s law; the weaker one always gets squashed. However, we are not living in a jungle or in the Stone Age thus there are often consequences of abusing monitoring tools. Here is how abusing employee monitoring tools can prove to be a serious concern for the employers as well as their companies.

Diminished Trust

There are many studies conducted that show that a democratic structure within the work setting can prove beneficial for the company in the long as well short run. Democratic structures involve increased levels of trust and division of labor. The working environment acts like a machine where every process’s success depends on the adequate execution of the other. This then leads to increased cohesion and trust between work mates as well as with employers and managers. However if an employee vaguely even finds out that his personal information gathered via monitoring applications is being misused or collected for unnecessary means, they would not be comfortable working for you. If your employees lose their trust, they would not be motivated to work for you at all. Diminished feelings of trust can lead to a few outcomes:

1. Low levels of motivation.

2. Reduced work performance.

3. Low levels of solidarity.

Lawsuits

Although as an employer you will make sure your employees sign a non-compete before they start working for you. However, there are always loop holes in the non-compete that can be questioned on the basis of misuse of personal information. No justice court in the world allows any individual or entity to openly exploit or misuse another’s personal information. Therefore, on the basis of such allegations, an employee can easily file a lawsuit against the employer as well as the whole company. There have been many such cases that can easily be found on the internet. For example, there was one where a female employee felt harassed by her employer. Apparently, he had been keeping tabs on her whereabouts and stalking her as well. A hefty lawsuit followed with a chunky settlement from the company and a public apology.

Tarnishing the Company’s Reputation

A lawsuit can easily tarnish a company’s reputation. Moreover in a highly connected world today, word spreads fast via media outlets thus leaving room for more speculation and rumored stories. Once a company’s reputation is tarnished, no one would like to work there. People will also not recommend other peers to join it either. A tarnished reputation is also very bad for the company’s standing in the industry. With increased awareness on human rights, companies are taking serious precautions regarding protecting and advocating them rather than exploiting them. And any one company that is found exploiting them is usually singled out and badly reputed.

Sabotaging the Company’s Secrets

When an employee has very less motivation or sense of belonging to a company, they will be encouraged to try different unfavorable things. A strong sense of belonging helps a company flourish and grow, but an employee who has none and is not a machine, can easily stray away. There have been multiple cases where employees after finding out that they have been unnecessarily been monitored, have tried to sabotage the company’s secrets and other important information. Even if they are not doing it purposefully, after spending a good amount of time with the company, they can now easily leave with all the important knowledge in their heads. Occasionally, hardworking employees are singled out and approached by competing firms. If these employees have very less motivation to stick to your company, they will easily move to the other where their presence is appreciated and all their rights are taken care of.

Conclusion

There is always an unsaid mutual bond between the employee and employer. If either of them tampers with it, the consequences are usually bad. Employees come to work for a firm with a feeling of trust and commitment especially if they are singling you out from a whole lot of other firms. While you are scrutinizing them, they are also evaluating you. Thus, this relationship is based on equality and abusing it should never be an option.

Addison is a senior editor and blogger at TOS Blog. He loves to write about digital advancements in local sectors and mobile location tracking applications for business and employees management. To know more about him follow him on Twitter @addisonalbert55