Surveillance and Remote Work

Some employers report using surveillance tools because they fear that remote work lowers productivity. However, research consistently shows the opposite is true. The International Workplace Group found that 85% of businesses reported that offering remote options made their businesses more productive—with 67% estimating that it improved productivity by at least one-fifth.

2023-02-06T20:50:17+00:00Published: January 25th, 2023|Tags: , , , |

Key Takeaways for Employers

Employers should exercise strong caution when using automated surveillance tools. They should develop best practices that limit surveillance through intentional centralized governance procedures that prioritize inclusion for people with disabilities and other underrepresented groups. Aside from legal compliance concerns, automated workplace surveillance could result in harmful organizational cultures and other undesirable outcomes.

2023-02-06T20:52:02+00:00Published: January 25th, 2023|Tags: , , , |

How Surveillance Tools Risk Discrimination

People with disabilities and chronic health conditions are less likely to be employed due to systemic barriers, including workplace discrimination. They are also particularly vulnerable to the harms of automated surveillance, which can exacerbate barriers. When it comes to automated decision-making, research shows that data science predictions are often completely wrong for outlier groups like people with disabilities.

2023-02-06T20:58:00+00:00Published: January 25th, 2023|Tags: , , , , |

Automated Surveillance Can Create Barriers for Workers with Disabilities

Employers are adopting new surveillance technologies to monitor and rank how employees move and behave on the job. However, this trend may create barriers for workers with disabilities and other underrepresented groups, undermining Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) goals. Surveillance technologies can result in negative workplace cultures and even cause legal issues for the employers who use them.

2023-02-06T20:35:18+00:00Published: January 25th, 2023|Tags: , , , |

What are Surveillance Technologies?

In the workplace context, surveillance technologies are tools that monitor employees at work, including by automatically tracking employee productivity, attentiveness, movement, and other metrics. Employers might use this information to make decisions about task management, advancement, and even termination.

2023-02-06T20:49:30+00:00Published: January 25th, 2023|Tags: , , , |

Podcast: How You Can Support Employees with Invisible Disabilities

Albert Kim, Accessibility Consultant, Trainer, and Founder of Accessibility Next Gen, discusses the challenges workers with invisible disabilities face and shares his own lived experience. He gives tips for employers who want to make sure their organizations are inviting and inclusive for people whether or not they wish to disclose their disability. […]

2023-01-09T19:30:12+00:00Published: December 8th, 2022|Tags: , , , , |

Podcast: NDEAM & LGBTQ+ History Month – A Conversation on Intersectional Identities at Work

Bill Curtis-Davidson, PEAT’s Co-director, and Chris Wood, Executive Director and Co-Founder of LGBT Tech and Chair of the FCC Communications Equity and Diversity Council share personal experiences and insights to mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and LGBTQ+ History Month. Bill and Chris talk about the importance of digital equity, share tips for [...]

2023-02-02T16:51:30+00:00Published: October 27th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , |

Podcast: Attract Top Talent with Inclusive Hiring Practices

Meryl Evans, accessibility expert and LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy 2022, discusses the top small steps that hiring managers can take to impact inclusion in talent acquisition. Companies often miss opportunities to hire skilled workers because of barriers in the hiring process. Sharing her own experiences as a person who is deaf, Meryl offers tangible [...]

2022-09-23T17:47:27+00:00Published: September 23rd, 2022|Tags: , , , |

Podcast: A Personal Story of Long COVID & Disability Disclosure

Pam Bingham, Senior Program Manager for the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Tech team at Intuit, shares her personal story of navigating long COVID symptoms at work. She also gives thoughtful tips on how HR leaders can support employees with disabilities from underrepresented groups and shares advice for anyone experiencing long COVID in the workplace. [...]

2023-02-02T17:01:54+00:00Published: June 23rd, 2022|Tags: , , |