EOD: How to tell if your boss is spying on you (and whether it’s okay)

In partnership with

When you think of office sensors and workplace analytics, your first thought might be surveillance. And workplace surveillance might give you pause—for good reason. Among the ethical and legal questions this practice evokes, there’s also the question of mental health. Technology like screen monitoring and CCTV can lead to performance anxiety and a deterioration of overall worker wellbeing, according to a 2024 scientific study.

But office analytics can be a good thing with the right protections in place. Sensor systems that put privacy first can help companies cut down on unused office space, make better use of their real estate footprint and even improve worker satisfaction. Who’da thunk! 🤷🏻‍♀️

But first, a brief ad for a quality news platform (if you click it, I make $)...

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

What ‘workplace analytics’ means—and why you should care about it

Workplace analytics (or office analytics) refers to companies gathering data through various hardware and software solutions in order to better understand how their workforce uses an office footprint. This can potentially lead to saving money, improving productivity and reducing friction in the office.

For business leaders, understanding workplace analytics (and its boundaries) helps retain trust in your workforce and improve how you use your real estate footprint. For example, companies can track office use through anonymous sensor systems that don’t require identifying information.

For the broader workforce, it’s crucial to know what workplace analytics is (and isn’t) in order to protect your rights.

Basking in ethical office analytics

Basking is an office analytics company that primarily uses existing infrastructure (like Wi-Fi networks or conferencing technology) to track occupancy data throughout an office footprint. Their customers include Fortune 500 enterprises that operate across the globe. 

“The infrastructure-as-a-sensor approach allows us to be quick, allows us to be cost effective and privacy protective as well,” said Eldar Gizzatov, founder and CEO of Basking. They can also add layers of analytics through hardware they get from trusted partners.

“Our approach in all this is we're not collecting the data that is sensitive. We are not technically even able to attribute the kind of the occupancy data to an individual, and that really helps,” said Gizzatov. Basking collects data on a need-to-know basis and keeps everything encrypted and anonymized. 

Notice how in all of that, Gizzatov did not mention using the data for performance reviews. That’s a hardline boundary. When this data gets in the wrong hands for the wrong purpose, it devolves from office analytics to surveillance.

For companies looking to tie in this technology to improve their office use (because, let’s face it, the corporate real estate market in the US hasn’t been doing so hot since the pandemic), Gizzatov has a word of advice: “The right way to do it is to proactively communicate.” By this, he means don’t add sensors only for your inquisitive engineers to find out. That’s not good for morale, and it’s harder to gain back trust than it is to lose it.

Wondering if your company is spying on you? Here’s how to find out

Just because some companies practice ethical workplace analytics doesn’t mean they all do. If you’re wondering what your company is doing to track its workforce, Gizzatov has a few recommendations.

“Something to keep in mind is that data is already being collected, at the very least through badges,” said Gizzatov. This is typically for attendance and security purposes, and this data should be completely separate from office analytics.

“If you're concerned, you can start with a question of how badge data is used within the organization,” he said, adding your own company’s work structure will determine who to ask, but you can start by working up the chain in the tech department. 

Gizzatov added that if your company has unassigned seating (which he said more and more companies are opting for), that’s another layer of protection. “Then, even if you do install a sensor at the desk level, if the desk is not assigned, you don't know the individual behind it,” he said.

For my two cents, I’d say: Ask who your company uses for workplace analytics data. Verify they’re trustworthy and compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) or any other applicable legal requirements. And if you don’t feel comfortable poking the bear, find out if you have a labor representative at your company who can do it for you.

Thanks,