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.

2023-03-30T15:43:10+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.

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.

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.

2023-03-30T16:41:29+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.

The Benefits of Inclusion in All Workplaces

Inclusion Advantages Inclusive workplaces come with many benefits for employers and employees alike. Ensure that every part of your employment lifecycle is inclusive and revisit your recruiting, hiring and retention practices often to find areas for possible improvements. Below are just a few ways that creating an inclusive workplace can benefit your organization. [...]

2023-04-21T19:51:22+00:00Published: January 25th, 2022|Tags: , |

Section 4: Learn How to Procure & Use Accessible XR Technologies in Your Workplace

Immersive Workplace Technologies Should Be Accessible When a new technology is developed, accessibility is often not considered until after it launches and is in use. XR technologies are no exception. Some XR technologies use hardware and software that may not be fully accessible for people with disabilities. If these inaccessible technologies are brought into your [...]

2023-03-30T17:07:59+00:00Published: January 18th, 2022|Tags: , , |