Watch For These Creepy Practices

Modern technology gives all kinds of opportunities to improve security and convenience — but some of the new practices are developing a disconcerting edge. Are modern data practices something to be embraced — or are they just going to creep people out? The answer is: it depends.

This summer, Three Square Market became the first US company to chip its employees. The chips are voluntary, and the point is to allow people to walk right through security, log in to their computer without typing a password, and even share digital business cards. Almost 50% of Three Square Market employees agreed to voluntarily be chipped. The chips can also store medical and financial data. Which opens up this question — on top of any inherent weirdness of being implanted with an RFID chip (the FDA has ruled them safe) of privacy. An implanted chip can't be removed if you don't want your employer knowing where you are. And health and financial information? There have already been incidents of people pulling credit card numbers off of NFC-enabled phones. The chips seem easily susceptible to hacking. On the other hand, the idea of just raising your hand to buy chocolate from a vending machine might appeal to most.

Embedded chips are obviously at the creepy end of the spectrum, but what about the other things you do routinely? Without the chip, there's the electronic, RFID-enabled badge many employees are obligated to carry to enter the building. The FDA approved the chips in 2004.

Then there's phones. Even if it's the employees' own phone, companies can install device management software. Some employees have had their personal phones (including all of their contacts) wiped and even bricked when they quit or are fired — even while on vacation. Employers can also use phones to make sure that a "sick" employee really stayed home. Uber is now using the gyroscope and accelerometer in phones to monitor driving habits — which trucking companies have done for a while. This is arguably less creepy as the point is to help drivers notice what they are doing. A gyroscope could also theoretically be used to ensure employees work out enough to satisfy a wellness program (or, to remind people to stand and stretch periodically).

Some companies also monitor social media, including private accounts. In fact, it's generally considered reasonably acceptable (but still creepy) to keep track of internet usage and monitor how often you stop working. According to a 2013 survey from CareerBuilder, 39% of employers dig into candidates on social sites, while 43% said they had found something that made them deep-six a candidate — such as posting inappropriate photos, or bad-mouthing a former boss. However, it is illegal in some states to ask for employee's social media passwords. Additionally, doing so puts the employee in a position of being forced to break the terms of service of most platforms, which forbid giving your password to a third party.

So, How Can Your Company Culture not be so Creepy?

Other than not microchipping your employees, you can:

1. Be very honest about your monitoring policies. Make it clear in the employee handbook what the rules are, and stick to them. Make sure employees know if you are reading their email, what any software you put on their phone does, etc. Never record people behind their back.

2. Establish a code of conduct for how any data is collected, stored and used, including methods such as employee surveys. If you are collecting data to help work on employee morale issues or anything that is not specific to an individual, it should be anonymous and aggregated.

3. Make sure there is something in it for them. Clearly lay out the benefits of whatever monitoring systems you have in place. For example, talk about security and how monitoring can help you catch the actual person without necessarily having to interrogate the entire office. If you use device management software that can remotely wipe phones if they are lost and stolen, then help employees back up their device and give them the code so that they can potentially use it themselves.

4. Finally, respect their privacy. Consider how much you really need to monitor. You might, for example, exclude the practice of monitoring email messages sent to and from an employee's spouse or parents. Be particularly careful with employees who work at home, especially if they have children — major issues can come up if a child's privacy is violated.

You don't have to stop monitoring — it can improve productivity, security, and convenience. But considering how creepy your practices are and how employees see them and making sure they make sense can help attract and retain the talent you need.

Platinum Group is a full service human capital management (HCM) resource that allows businesses to manage their payroll, benefits compliance, track time and attendance and other various human resources functions in a way that maximizes efficiency and eliminates redundancies with the platform, isolved. For more information about Platinum Group or to schedule a demo of isolved please visit our website. 

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