: A lot of companies are turning to employee monitoring tools to make sure workers aren't slacking off

The COVID-19 lockdown meant a surge in remote work, and the trend toward remote and hybrid workplaces has persisted long after the pandemic receded. That has changed the nature of workplace management as well. Bosses can’t check for butts in seats or look over their employees’ shoulders in the office to make sure they’re working instead of having a LAN party. So they’ve turned to software tools to fill the gap.

So-called “bossware” lets managers keep a close eye on employees’ activity, tracking everything from knowledge workers’ website visits to the gait and facial expressions of those involved in more physical activities.

  • mctoasterson@reddthat.comEnglish
    7·
    5 hours ago

    Yeah, what you described is how it should be.

    Each person:

    1. What I did yesterday.
    2. What I’m working on today.
    3. Briefly describe obstacles or assistance I need.

    That could be as little as 45 seconds per person if done properly.

    • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
      6·
      4 hours ago

      We stick to that format with minor variations:

      1. Recap of the morning’s school run and dog walks
      2. Update on everyone’s pets’ health
      3. Update on peoples’ kids’ behaviour
      4. Update on team members’ health and their families
      5. Miscellaneous gripes
      6. All the sports: what happened, what people think will happen, and details of particular players
      7. Sports statistics in depth
      8. Mutual accusations of breaking things
      9. Defence against said accusations
      10. Gripes about boss’s emails
      11. Long, in-depth accounts from two team members of their last day’s work, minute by minute, with digressions into big-picture frustrations and grumbles about management, customers, etc.
      12. Recounting of the history of these issues over the last 15 years or so.
      13. Each person tells us that they’re working on the thing the kanban board says they’re working on, and that it will take them as long as it says on the board.
      14. Holiday plans or accounts of past holidays
      15. Goodbye
      16. One guy jumps in with a 15-minute anecdote about taking his dog to the vet
      17. Goodbye
      18. Any further anecdotes about things people’s dogs ate, etc.
      19. Goodbye.

      Its supposed to take 10-15 minutes but it takes up to an hour, sometimes more. I usually tune in late and sometimes pretend I lost my internet connection halfway through.

      • filcuk@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        That’s crazy. I’d actually rather work. Or take a shit. Or do literally anything else.

        • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
          1·
          2 hours ago

          I’ve become quite good at paying just enough attention that I can jump in if anything important comes up, and meanwhile continuing to work. I don’t turn my camera on.

    • jpeps@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      4 hours ago

      Honestly even that is for beginner teams, frankly. If there’s good shared understanding, clear work, and good interaction regularly within the team (ie you’re actually working together towards a goal), just hurry up and tell everyone what you need, and get out. Fight the sludge.