One in three UK employers now using ‘bossware’

CMI research shows managers are monitoring employees emails and web browsing

A growing number of British businesses are turning to so-called ‘bossware’ to track the digital behaviour of their staff, with new research suggesting workplace surveillance is becoming mainstream.

A survey conducted by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)and shared with The Guardian found that around a third of UK managers report their organisations are monitoring employees’ emails or web browsing. Private sector companies are the most likely to do so and one in seven firms have gone further by recording or reviewing staff screen activity.

The results point to a sharp rise in monitoring compared with 2023, when fewer than one in five workers believed they were being watched, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Actual levels could be higher still, as roughly a third of managers admitted they did not know what surveillance their organisations carried out.

Safeguarding against data leaks

The CMI said monitoring is often introduced as a safeguard against data leaks or productivity losses, but unease is evident. Four in 10 managers oppose the practice, warning it erodes trust, risks invading personal privacy and may do little to improve performance.

Some monitoring systems offer detailed reporting on ‘idle time’, keystrokes, app usage and even screen recordings. Last year the ICO intervened to stop outsourcing giant Serco from using facial recognition and fingerprint scanning to log leisure centre staff attendance.

Petra Wilton, the CMI’s director of policy and external affairs, said companies risk a “Big Brother” culture unless they are transparent about what data is collected and why. “If it is being used, it is incredibly important employers are open, otherwise that’s going to cause significant problems in terms of data privacy and protection,” she said.

Excessive monitoring

The ICO has also reminded organisations that excessive monitoring “can undermine people’s privacy, especially if they are working from home”, warning it will “take action if necessary”.

Some firms are experimenting with high-tech approaches. HSBC has drawn criticism for plans to install more than 1,700 security cameras and biometric access systems at its new London headquarters. PwC recently rolled out a ‘traffic light’ attendance system, using pass swipe and wifi data to check staff are in the office three days a week, a policy it says most employees have accepted.

The CMI found one in six managers would consider quitting if their employer introduced online surveillance. Among managers who said their organisations monitored staff, 35% reported checks on emails, while logging system access times was the most common tactic overall. Although just over half of managers supported such measures, 42% opposed them, citing risks of misuse, unfair disciplinary action and damaged workplace relationships.